Anyone else feel overwhelmed with the busyness of summer?  I don't even have a farm and I still feel some days that I am careening out of control with "stuff" that needs doing!!

Right now we are so focused on getting the work done on our house so we can successfully put it up for sale.  Seems there is always something to do - it's really a never ending task.  We have family coming up for the 4th so that's a little motivation to get the outside spruced up.  The shingles need another coat of stain; the front porch needs to be closed in with lattice; the foundation needs painting; and the front and back decks are in bad need of cleaning and a good coat of wood preservative.  Did I mention the inside projects?!!?  My head starts to spin if I think about it all too much.  Day at a time....day at a time....day at a time...(repeat as needed!).

In times like this when I am most in need of a quiet time with the Lord, of course I find it the most difficult to fit in.  Mornings are out here - I just cannot get up before everyone else and the precious few times I've tried, I'm too incoherent to study the Word!  Evenings are my quiet time.  DH is at work and when I finally get the kids in bed, the house is quiet and my time is just for me.  Still so many things pulling at me!  Often if I open up my Bible, the mere act of reading puts me right out to sleep.  I have so many things I want to do, too - work on a scrapbook, do some cross-stitching, write in my journal, or just read a book for pleasure.

I try to put away the more serious books in the summer and just read for fun.  Last summer I read Shiloh Autumn by the Thoene's.  I'm a fan of James Micheneer and have nearly every book he's written.  I've already started Texas and would like to finish that by September (my copy is in two hardcover volumes!!). My favorite book of his was Alaska. 

Wow, I've gotten way off track here!  What's on my heart is that I feel a need to be still and just listen to what God might have to say.  We have a lot planned for the next year's time frame, so it would be good to be walking closely with Him so we don't miss anything!  I've got a book called Be Still... (there's a sub-title I can't remember) by Elizabeth Hoekstra.  She happens to be a friend of mine but she's also one talented writer.  I read that book last fall and it blessed me so much.  Maybe it's time to pull it out again and get a refresher.  Seems that's what I'm needing right now....Peace, stillness, quiet....