I am still blogging, but it is a private blog I've set up for my children. Memories, funny things they say, and things we're learning as we are walking more and more by faith and grace.
I thought this was shareable with others though...and maybe, just MAYBE someone else might be blessed by the idea.
Life with Homeschool has been HARD lately. We are all learning how to function as a FAMILY instead of selfish individuals (and I'm the leader of that pack). We are learning to speak the truth in love (instead of anger). We are grappling with new facts, harder lessons, and MORE PEOPLE that need "schoolish" attention. All that plus the 3rd trimester of a pregnancy and let's just say, some days have been wearying. I've felt desperate at times, at a loss, and not knowing how to pull it all together~especially tending to all of our heart conditions. Of course, God in His kindness, has shown me again, to lean not on my own understanding. Why do I need that lesson over and over? I've always been OK with "mommy seasons" where maybe the most Bible reading I'll get is glancing over my kids handwriting sheets and my prayers are on the fly or during our "family times." That hasn't been cutting it lately. But how do you do it all? Get enough sleep: ha! Exercise. Eat healthy. Meal plan. Organize. School kids. Taxi kids. Get everyone to appointments. Keep a clean house. Keep husband priority. Shower. Brush teeth. Get in the Bible and pray regularly?
Well, this may be just for a season...but, I'll take it. Even if Baby Cinco changes it all up in a couple months!
I have a quiet time with the kids! After breakfast, I give everyone 15 minutes to tidy rooms and beds, get dressed, brush teeth, etc. Meanwhile, I clean up the kitchen and set the tea kettle to boil. I then call them down and they each get their mug with their choice of decaf. coffee/hot chocolate/tea and one little "tea time" kind of cookie treat.
Then I set the timer for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on our plan for the day. I bring their tray of mugs (COVERED mugs...essential here...believe me. I made a trip to the dollar store after learning this the hard way) and a bin of "Bible" books I collected from the book shelves in our home. When the timer starts, we are not allowed to talk/answer the phone or text/argue/touch each other, etc.
The kids have access to journals, pens, prayer cards, and Bible books and devotions.
Mom gets to read her Bible, journal, and pray. My little ones just look through the books and the older two do their devotions and read. It is so simple and so wonderful. Of course an easy consequence is to take away the treat or drink if we find ourselves not complying to the "quiet time" rules we agreed upon. Easy. We just daily talk about expectations we can agree on for this time. I have found a lift in my spirit...at least for the first hour or two of the morning. Nice! We do our "study" of the Bible together after lunch...where I am teaching them how to select a passage of scripture and really STUDY what it is saying to us. That's fine. But it doesn't replace the quiet sitting, and listening, and pouring out of hearts that happens in a devotional time. That kind of space needs to be created. And when you're in the busy stage of life I am in, sometimes you have to be extra creative in how to get that space.
If you happen to stumble across this post, please share below some of the creative ways you've come up with to take that much needed quiet time. Especially if you have kids around you 24/7!
