I heard the still, small voice of God Tuesday evening. I admit that I am not in the habit of listening for God, hence I don’t hear him often. It usually takes a lot to get my attention in my busy little bubble.

Adjusting from being home all summer taking it easy, doing what needs to be done, relaxing and reading and writing, spending time with loved ones and friends to the hectic, crazy, every-day-is-a-new-dilemma world of an elementary school’s first month. It’s put out little fires all day and filling other people’s needs. It’s not rocket science and the days fly by but it is an about-face from the lazy days of summer and it takes its toll.

So when Beau came home from school Tuesday and wondered if I was planning on coming to his soccer game, I quickly went through my mental calendar of the week. Wednesday, Youth Bible Study and Worship. Thursday, important meeting of the Youth Council. Friday, dinner date. I had only been home a few minutes myself and had thrown in the first load of laundry that I usually get done on Mondays.

“Probably not,” I informed him. “I’ll come to your home game though, next Thursday.” He was fine with that. The youngest of four brothers, he is used to all of us working around each other’s schedules. He headed out and I sat down for a little quiet time and dinner alone. No TV, no music, no computer no one else home, no one demanding my time and attention. Just quiet…ahhhhhhhhhhh. Peace, at last. That’s when I heard the voice in my head “You really ought to go”. What in the world? It’s no big deal, Beau doesn’t care. He doesn‘t really play soccer as much as he plays at soccer. He loves the fun of it but doesn‘t take it seriously like most guys that play sports…. I flipped through a catalog as I ate but it came back to me again. “You need to go.” Why?… I couldn’t come up with a reason… I threw the first load of clothes into the dryer and started another load washing. “Just GO.” Suddenly it occurred to me that maybe this in-my-head voice was God. Was this what the still, small voice sounds like? Maybe there really was some reason I needed to be there. What did I have to lose by going? Nothing really except a little quiet time and some undone laundry.

I changed out of my work clothes and went. I was heading toward town wondering why I “needed” to go. Was Bo going to be hurt? Was he going to make a great play? Or was it just that I would have passed up on an opportunity to spend time with my son in the last couple of years he’d still be at home? I didn’t need to know the why of it. I was going because I was moved to.

As I passed our church on the way out of town I noticed the pastor’s pick-up in the parking lot, and there was the youth director’s van and Linda’s RV and a few other vehicles. Hmmm, I wondered what was going on at the church on a Tuesday evening? I drove on by and it occurred to me that all of those folks were a part of the Youth Council committee. “Go back”…. but the meeting was Thursday. Wasn’t it?… I turned around and went back…. What if it wasn’t that meeting? Would I walk in on something else? How embarrassing!… I went in and found the meeting, recognized the group and apologized for being late. “You’re fine. We were just getting ready to start with prayer.“

It was a very important meeting that the Youth Pastor had expressly asked me to there for several weeks earlier when the meeting was being planned. One in which my presence was appreciated and needed. And I was there because I followed God’s urging.

If only it were always so easy.

1Kings 19:12