Shhhhhhh….. Thursday, February 25 is National Quiet Day.
     With a little research, I found that this holiday was originally started by the Anglican Church for devotions and meditations. I think they had the right idea. In most churches, we have heard personal devotion time referred to as “quiet time.” have learned with the Psalmist to “Be still and know that I am God.” Personal time sitting quietly with the Lord, praying and reading the Bible is essential in our Christian walk.
     What about other benefits to being quiet? Doctors report that it is a good idea at night to turn off the TV and other devices a while before you actually go to sleep, to let your body calm down. Constant noise and activity keep our bodies in an alert agitated state. Many times this causes raised blood pressure, stomach problems, headaches and a host of other ailments.
     Being quiet, also helps us to focus. When we have several things competing for our attention, we have the potential to miss something important or not do our best.
     So, in this noisy world, let’s try these practical ways to observe quite day often or quiet time often in our day.

• Take a quiet walk.
• Drive without the radio on.
• Read more
• Turn the volume down on the TV and electronic devices
• Sit quietly for a little while in the mornings before turning on the news or checking your phone.
• Most importantly, don’t forget your quiet devotion time.

“I’ve kept my feet on the ground, I’ve cultivated a quiet heart.” (Psalm 131:2) (MSG) Sue