Yeah, way!

Everybody’s looking for a little quiet these days. A time away. A time to ourselves. Perhaps just a pause in the program. An intermission. A moment to regroup and gather energy for the next act.

I find that even if I am gifted with that moment and that silence, I have trouble finding God there. Even though I know He’s staring me right in the face.

J David Muyskens suggests a prayer word as a way to selective centering. He writes, “it helps us let go of thoughts and renews our intention to consent to God’s presence and action.” The word Muyskens suggests is “Yahweh.” (The name God gave to Moses as he was being commissioned to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. It is the verb “to be” or “to create” in Hebrew. The “I am.”) And the practice is to say it in a breath.

So, Yah (breathe in) — weh (breathe out). There is a rhythm and a focus and a prayer. Back to basics. Breath. Sound, but not noise.

Today, November first, I jump into 30 days of focused writing. I am working on a middle grade novel and thought I’d join the NaNoWriMo folks for a bit of support, encouragement and accountability. You “win” if you complete 50,000 words in 30 days. That’s a lot of words. It will take a lot of focus.

So, today I begin. “Yah—weh–” And when my internal editor says, “50,000 words in 30 days? no way!” I respond, “Yah—weh—”

And God echoes, “Yeah way!”