He makes me lie down in green pastures,

   he leads me beside quiet waters,

   he restores my soul.

   He guides me in paths of righteousness

   for his name’s sake.

   Psalm 23:2-3 (NIV)

I like to listen to talk radio while driving but I clicked the radio off after a few minutes of a particular host who was subbing for one of my favorites. He was too “in your face”and a bit exhausting to listen to. I thought, “I need a comma rather than an exclamation point today.” The phrase,”exclamation point” comes straight from Beth Moore who describes herself as one. I love Beth and it is a very apropos description of her. And, sometimes, that is just what I need, a cheerleader, or more likely, someone to give me a kick-start to get going. But today, I am tired. Headed to a family reunion this weekend, we took the night flight, which included a two-hour drive to Memphis, and my head finally hit the pillow at 3 AM. I was in no mood for a lecture; I needed a calm, quiet, soothing, “comma” kind of person on the radio. The off button served its purpose. I am so thankful that God gives us the Holy Spirit who knows exactly what we need. There are days when I draw on the fruit of the Spirit and then He gives me opportunities to show His power to those I meet. Yet, there are moments when I don’t even know what to pray. Disappointment or sorrow may overwhelm. Frustration and anger interrupt my journey and send me on a detour. But the calm in His voice leads me to still waters and allows restoration of my soul and spirit. A little rest is just what I need. Then…watch out!