A Path to Being Still
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
During the past year of stay-at-home orders, many of us have gotten to know our neighborhoods better than ever before, walking those familiar steps regularly. Part of my neighborhood walk includes a greenbelt path that goes past a cheerful-looking home, which has a crisp white picket fence lined with colorful flowers. Ruthie lived there, and she had a knack for creating comforting spaces.
A Faith-based Home
Ruthie’s blog documented her interior and exterior decorating touches, especially ones that expressed her love for the Lord. They included homemade signs such as the one at the top of the staircase that read, “Be still,” or the ones in the garden that said, “Stop and smell His roses” and, “Happy Birthday Jesus!”
Other faith-inspiring items included a variety of glass, wood, and soft-textured crosses; baby shoes with a Bible; a friend’s hand-drawn pencil image of Jesus; and messages of joy and hope written on everything from rocks and Scrabble tiles to tags tied to wooden shoe inserts and chalkboards.
You can still read Ruthie’s insights here and here. But our neighborhood has not seen Ruthie since 2013, when “this cancer thing,” as she referred to it on her blog, took her from us and her loving family (who continues to live in the home).
Many of us know too well the feeling of seeing the home, the cubicle, the regular seat in a pew, or the business storefront of one who passed away. Sometimes, the feeling is heavy, and the loss takes on physical attributes that can alter how we move. Sometimes, the feeling is positive and inspires us to be kinder or more forgiving. In any event, we realize that we were changed by the presence of the people whose company we enjoyed in our neighborhoods or places of work. At times, we continue to be changed by remembering them long after their passing.
Inspiring Stillness
Thinking about Ruthie continues to impact me. Because of her, I will always be touched by Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” The phrase “be still” made its way into her decorating, and it made its way into my mind after reading her blog entries that shared how she navigated days with cancer while answering God’s call to be of service. Striving to “be still” when the material world seemed to be slipping away was likely a profound challenge.
Even so, Ruthie answered His call as she continued to express her dedication to the Lord, not only in using her thoughtful home design skills but also by creating necklaces and T-shirts to share her heartfelt belief that you “can’t do cancer without God.” She sent these items, along with books about healing and prayer, floral-themed tissue packets, and passages of Scripture, around the country to let others dealing with cancer know that they were not alone and that she was praying for them. She understood that keeping God’s presence close helped her, and when she shared reminders of that presence, others could benefit, too.
Ruthie’s actions continue to teach me that tapping into ways to “be still” is especially important when one is dealing with an overwhelming personal matter or in times such as we are experiencing now, with ongoing news about global health and economic crises. For Ruthie, it was her ability to incorporate the beauty of interior and exterior design as a way to keep his Word literally and figuratively in front of her. This method encouraged her to keep her eyes open to His love in spite of the day’s distractions and served as a way for Ruthie to share with others how prayer and Scripture can reach us more easily when we place them intentionally around us.
We can benefit from finding our own inspirations to connect with the Lord throughout each day. It may be by writing a Scripture passage on a Post-It and placing it next to the computer camera, keeping a prayer card in our business card holder, or placing a rosary in the dish where we charge our phone. It may be that we include in our email signature reference to a Psalm or place an angel decoration near the front door. Ruthie knew that the important thing was to find a way to keep His presence at hand and proclaim its goodness.
Although it has been years since Ruthie and I last walked the greenbelt path together, it remains comforting to see her home with its flowers and decorations and to remember the love she had for our Father. Her legacy is proof that even after we pass, we can continue to share the value of keeping Him close.
In one of her blog entries, Ruthie included the prayer, “Lord, put me on Your path. Not mine.” During a time that has challenged all of us, I am grateful that I have been walking by her home more than usual as I benefited from the visual reminder to “be still” and take His path.
Linda A. Burrows is an attorney specializing in trust and estate law in southern California. She studied journalism at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and law at Pepperdine and is currently pursuing a masters in tax law at Georgetown. Linda is the founder of Soul Soda, a non-profit with the mission of refreshing faith in those, particularly Catholics, who are feeling disconnected from their religious roots. She is a wife and mother of three teens. Linda’s Confirmation name was that of St. Gabriel the Archangel.