We do loud really well...

Have you seen one of these signs? Chances are you have, they seem to be everywhere.  I've always wanted one for my house but still haven't found the "perfect" one (and DIY scares me, what if I spend all that time on it and hate it?).

I especially like the "we do loud really well" because at my house we do.  We've got three girls under the age of 7 and sometimes I'm pretty sure ear plugs should be required before entering our home.  I've come to love 8:15 pm. It's about the time that quiet happens.

My husband and I experienced real quiet when our youngest spent some time in the NICU after she was born.  The room she was in had four babies, one or two nurses and various family members huddled around their babies layette.  Each room was equipped with a sign that read volume and when things got a little louder than the constant beeping of the various machines it would flash angrily at you demanding quiet. I remember spending the day enveloped in the quiet there and then coming home and being shocked at how loud we could be. That sign would be going off like a strobe light around here.

I've come to crave the quiet. So much so that I started getting up an hour or two before my girls just to enjoy the quiet.  I went to school one day with my husband and he was almost giddy to show me the library.  Not only because I LOVE books; reading them and smelling them and I kind of think it would be super fun to be a librarian...but because the library on campus has "quiet zones" where it's so quiet you can hear yourself breath.  He said the look on my face was priceless and I'm sure it was...the library is a wonderful place.

I also love the quiet because when I can tune out the noise of the world then I can hear God whispering to me.  Whispering His promises for me or how He wants me to pray; pointing out traps and blessings in my path. Reminding me of His plan for me.

I'm a planner.  I like to know how things are going to go today, tomorrow and six months from now.  Right now my husband and I are in a situation of unknowns on what the future will bring.  It makes me anxious and frustrated.  Today God reminded me to not get so caught up in making plans and filling our calendar that I miss out on the blessings of His plan.  He told me He has plans for me today. He asked me to let go of unrealistic expectations (like knowing what the future holds) and to savor some happy moments today. And for the future He told me that I should check in with Him before making my own plans because our plans might line up or He might have something better.

Last night we had a guest for supper.  There was talking and singing and giggling and our youngest putting her hands over her ears and yelling "It's too loud!".  After our guest left I told my husband that I was worried we'd scared her off with our crazy loud behavior.  My husband reminded me that while our home may be loud, we have a home filled with grace and joy and love and those things are louder than the noise.