“To remember is, literally, to put broken pieces back together, to re-member. It is to create an original wholeness out of what has become scattered fragments . . .
“There is a terrible cost to our busyness. It erodes memory. Or worse than that: it turns good memory into mere nostalgia–memory falsified and petrified–and turns bad memory into bloodhounds that chase us to rend us, that keep us ever running, dodging, backtracking. Busyness destroys the time we need to remember well.
“In the confusion, we forget who we are. The broken pieces remain strewn.
“The Swahili word for ‘white man’–mazungu–literally means ‘one who spins around.’ That’s how East Africans see Westerners: turning ourselves dizzy, a great whirl of motion without direction. We’re flurries going nowhere.”
~Mark Buchanan in The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath
In the stillness,
Sandy
Welcome to the Still Saturday Community where we pause after a busy week, move in quiet pilgrimage, maybe linger a while in some still place, and soak in the beauty of images and reflect on the depth of sparse words. We’d love for you to join us. Grab the button and link up below. We all love to hear if something especially speaks to your heart, but please don’t feel pressured to comment. Simply take some time to be still together, to gaze long and drink deep.
Linking with Diane today.
Sandra, Mark’s words are so real and feel so clear to me as that is how we are, how I am…luckily some days, not ALL. I am grateful for those “rest”-filled days and evenings. “Mazungu”…what a word-picture in one little word!
May your weekend be still and sweet, ~ linda
Some days–not all, thank goodness. Me, too.
Hope you find some time to put your feet up this weekend, Linda.
Thanks for the gentle reminder to be still before the Lord and in life in general. It is rushed and hurried, and I often forget why I am striving so hard. 🙂 Many blessings!
I hear you, girlfriend. Here’s to slowing down inside and out.
This: “Busyness destroys the time we need to remember well.” Thanks for affirming the good we do when we slow down instead of continuing to spin…((hugs))
If we could only get over feeling that the only good day is one when we’ve checked off a dozen things on our to-do list–and remember we often “do” more by doing nothing. Hugs right back to you, sweet friend.
Wow, that that Swahili word for white man — “one who spins around” — that really hit home. Peace, Sandy. Love you.
I know, right? Round and round we go… Love you!
The older I get the more I relish stillness. I have learned to vintage the past – to pick it up, turn it around and find the value you in it. It makes life more whole! Sweet meat for the morning , Sandra!
Finding value in the vintage… love it! I’m wondering if part of the reason I’ve forgotten so much is that I’ve forfeited too much stillness to the spinning.
Oh, wow! The Swahili for white man, “one who spins around,” really caught my attention at how I’ve been living my life, most days that is, and particularly lately. Time to stop spinning and be still, and therein become the faithful daughter He wants me to be. Thanks, Sandra!
None of us will forget that spinning around thing. Sometimes it’s just dizzying. I hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend, Sherrey.
My words aren’t so “sparse” this week, or meticulously strewn together like Mark Buchanan’s – but I’ve been fixated on the task of remembering also. I agree with the Swahili interpretation of our Western culture – of my own culture. I’m craving more meaningful moments. Moments of stillness, but also moments that last – eternal moments.
Thank you for the invitation to join your community. And thank you for pointing me to my next Amazon order :)) Bless you, Sandy.
I am SO glad you’re here, Pat! And I know you’ll be glad you bought this book. Bless you back. 🙂
This was such a blessing to read this morning. I especially liked the idea of *re-membering* – yes, busyness can pull us apart in many directions. May the Lord center me on what really counts. And may He heal my brokenness.
GOD BLESS!
As I’ve spent time remembering, I’ve discovered it really does lead to remembering. That still time is such a gift… and more than that, a necessity, like brushing our teeth. 🙂
Praying and knowing God will piece the broken pieces into something even more beautiful. Love to you, Sharon.
Susie emailed me to read it. I’d glanced last night, but not finished.. too much on my plate other than popping my photos on… AND when she mentioned “mazungu” I couldn’t NOT read right now. AND in Uganda the “mazungu” word was spread so often around and about and used by people in the side-areas to scare their children with this word if I was walking by their yard. It was to tease the kid and embarrass me. Anyhow, I have toooo many Uganda stories about that word. AND even though they indicate the officiality of it’s meaning, that’s NOT what the majority of the people thought of when spreading it around to and at us. NOW, I’ll shut up and go away, b/c I could write WAY too long and too much. But this really grabbed me. I’m grinning!!! Bless you, Sandy.
Oh mercy, Joanne! I’ll bet you *do* have stories! 🙂
“The one who spins.” Wow! I seem to go in spurts these days – super busy and then not busy at all. I wish I had more control over that, but I don’t. I try to be careful about scheduling activities, but then things just happen. Like today…and it’s nearly tomorrow before I could post my Still Saturday. At least it is still Saturday. =) Love to you, my beautiful friend.
You know, Patricia, sometimes I spend several days spinning, and then several days stilling. Some days are just like that. But to get to a point of stillness and serenity in the everyday of every day… that’s where I long to live. Love to you right back. xo
Powerful words and images here. Just what I needed. Thanks Sandra. 🙂
Mark knows how to weave those words, doesn’t he? I love when you stop by, Jason.
May we leave the whirlwind & rest in His peace! Thanks for hosting & God bless.
Amen to that! Thanks, Laurie. Hugs.
Thank you for linking up! And Yes,”and turns bad memory into bloodhounds that chase us to rend us, that keep us ever running, dodging, backtracking.” Sometimes I have to say out loud to me memory, “Be Quite!”
I love your poetry!
No bark! Down. Stay. 🙂
Thanks, sis.
I need this. Thank you. Bless you.
I need it, too. xo
That definition of “white man” strikes hard. Oh may that not be me. May I take time, each & every day, to be still. Still before Him. Still so He can speak & guide & bring calm. I want to remember all He shows me each day. Grateful to Him for having stopped here this morning. Have a blessed Sunday!
Grateful that you’ve stopped by, Joanne. I hope your weekend has had some still stretches.
Your words, or Mark’s words, struck home with me today. It’s exactly how I’ve been feeling lately and its driving me crazy! 🙂 And what really hit home was the illustration of the word mazungu. I’ve been to Uganda. As a white person in Uganda, I’ve been called mazungu. I knew it was a bit of a derogatory name, but they pretty much nailed it on the head. ouch.
Ouch is right! Thanks so much for slipping in, Stephanie.
Such a describing word for the white man .., one who’se spinning around! We have a lot to learn … Such a wonderful and graceful post, Sandra!
Slow learners R us. Thanks you, Nina. I love just about every word in every one of Mark’s books. 🙂
Always nurtured by wise words that address “scattered fragments” and “broken pieces”… blessed by this post.
Yes. And I’m glad it doesn’t take all the king’s horses and all the king’s men to put it all the pieces back together–that the King Himself can do it. Blessings on your week, Lisa.