Holy Spirit, Activate.
+ 2 more things breaking through the 'fog this week.
Hi!
Part of my Lenten challenge this year is to write about random, life-giving things that miraculously break through my middle-aged brain fog each week.
Simplifying & curating them for you is my mental exercise, time with God, and time with you. :-)
First up this week,…
Misophonia
So, there’s the chewing, crunching, smacking, gulping noises people make that can make you want to come unglued. Then there’s the noise my husband makes when he is eating a bowl of cereal…clink, clinK, cliNK, clINK, cLINK…. My God! What ever happened to just drinking the milk from the bowl!? Just turn it up and chug it, husband! Sheesh.
The medical term for this unhealthy intolerance to my husband’s use of utensils is misophonia. Because giving it a medical term somehow makes it more acceptable. Truth is, we all have it to some degree in our house. The sound of our sweet dog drinking her water along with the rhythmic clanking of her collar eventually draws out a “MABEL!!!” from at least one person in the house, followed by a “save some for the fishes!” from another.
My reflections and readings this week reminded me how the devil uses “noise” to distract us from silence and solitude with God. I can also see how he uses the actual noises that irritate us… an easy opportunity for him to bring out the worst version of ourselves. Recognizing the devil in these everyday moments at home, I am motivated more than ever now to start embracing husband eating cereal and all the irritating noises that have me want to come unglued some days…cuz they are just a small blip of my whole day where I now have an opportunity to flex my resilience muscles. Maybe I will just sip my coffee, smile, and think of Jesus doing a happy dance in that moment…instead of the devil. What noises drive you batty?
“Special” Hearing Device
On one of my walks last week, I noticed 2 young children playing outside their house. The little sister (maybe 3) was right outside the garage side of the house and her older brother (maybe 7) was at the front door. I hear him say,…”What? You need me? Ok! I’m on my way!” So he hops on his little mini electric wheelie thing and zooms across the front sidewalk to the rescue. When he reached his sister, he hopped off his zoomie thing and said, “Hey, I’m here…I created a special hearing device so I could hear you calling me from all the way over there.” He may have been about 20 feet away, and I don’t think his sister actually called for him, lol. It was stinking adorable.
It dawned on me that little boy’s sweet words could have just as easily been Jesus’…where I am reminded how He also has a “special” hearing device and will zoom right over to us, even when we don’t call for Him. I was also reminded why I make time for silent walks (no phone, no watch, no headphones). Just me, God, and His beautiful world. I don’t want to miss a thing.
Holy Spirit, Activate.
My 11 year-old daughter had a time staying on top of her studies last week but managed to pull off a 78 on a difficult S.S. test. We were both shocked when she got her grade back. When I asked her how she managed to pull that off, she said, “Well, right before I started the test, I made the sign of the cross over and over saying Holy Spirit, Activate. Holy Spirit, Activate, Holy Spirit, Activate. Matilda and Vivi do it… We all kinda do it. Mom, can I have your phone now? I want to show you this new skin care that is literally the best and Tate McRae has this new song, can I play it?...and can I have some time on my computer tonight?”
Ugh, Holy Spirit, deactivated… and now Mama is needing to call on it.
BUT…of all the frustrating moments she and I can have in a day, I get to take this touching glimpse into her school day with me. When I think of the state of our world or worry about our children’s future, I can now think of a bunch of little 11-year-old girls from all different backgrounds, sitting at their desks and calling on the Holy Spirit to “Activate.”… and know there’s hope. Stay activated, little ones.
Holy Spirit Activate! Got it.