Where do you go to hide?
To find a place of quiet . . . of rest . . . a refuge . . . a place in which to hang your prayers on the clothes line or toss your sins into the laundry basket to be washed?
What does that place look like?
This thing . . . this quiet place can be called a Quiet Time, devotions, a personal time of reflection, or time with the Lord.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
What do you call it?
What does yours look like?
With all the buzz going around about 31 Days to Clean by Sarah Mae, and the launching of the Good Morning Girls study of The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson . . . it dawned on me . . .
Does everyone know? Do they know what “we” do? We women who are friends with Jesus?
“We” have lingo . . . journals . . . coffee . . . . tea . . . . a special nook or chair . . . . but is that normal?
I used to not “know” how to have a quiet time . . . how to have the things that I need so that I could just sit . . . sit and talk to God . . . even have what I envision as a cuppa chai with Him. There was a day when this concept was completely foreign to me . . . absolutely bizarre.
Even my kids kind of wonder . . . they have always thought quiet times were a time to play quietly in their room.
Yes . . . right Asher. Right Ezra. Right Gabe. Right Naomi. But I am preparing you for something better. I’m teaching you how to be by yourself first. To be comfortable with the silence . . . so that you can really hear from The One who really matters.
So . . . I think we should share. Can we peak into your “quiet time?” Can you take us into your prayer closet?
Don’t clean it out. Be real. You can see the toys strewn across my altar. The used water glasses piled up beside my bed. . . perhaps the dog in her kennel, so as to protect my Bible.
(The location of my quiet time if it is late at night.)
For the past several months I haven’t had one place where I consistently read my Bible. We moved last August . . . and I have struggled to find my place of respite.
Sometimes it has been the kitchen table.
Sometimes it is the coffee colored couch.
Sometimes my quiet time is homeless.
Until today.
This chair is in my bedroom. It used to be my mom’s or my grandma’s . . . some woman I love at least. My daughter was born in this corner. Above me resides the Engineer’s and my marriage vows and beside me a place to wedge my coffee or chai.
I can prop my feet up. I can look out my window. But I am tucked in a corner . . . and I love that. It’s like my own den.
If I get around to it, I plan on ordering an instant water heater, or something like that, for tea. I saw my friend, Sarah tweet about it. Because if I go downstairs to make coffee or brew tea . . . any hope of a quiet times goes down the toilet. My computer will distract me.
Yes, I lack that much discipline. I’ll be honest.
To make it happen, I keep everything together. That is a must. Because if I have to go searching . . . well, I will get distracted. Very distracted.
I have a binder. An old college binder. I made the cover really fancy . . . it is attached with packing tape.
Yup. Classy. But it works.
Inside my ancient binder are my Bible study tools . . . 31 Days to Clean, the Good Morning Girls schedule and S.O.A.P. notes, the Mission of Motherhood, Warrior Prayers, a pen, and my study of Matthew. Stacked neatly on my binder are colored pencils (which is a must for any Kay Arthur study) and my NASB Inductive Study Bible.
My journal should be there . . . but if I blog, I typically don’t feel the need to journal.
I want to add my Thanksgiving journal to the pile . . . but it usually sits by my computer.
The less things to keep track of for my quiet time . . . the better.
What about you? Can we peak?
Here are some things to think about . . . and perhaps share:
- Why do you have a quiet time?
- Who taught you how to have a quiet time?
- What “must” you have so as to not be distracted?
- Are you children around?
- When do you have your quiet time?
- Where do you have a quiet time?
- Do you listen to music? Who?
- Must you have a beverage?
Please link up and spread the Word! Be sure to link up using your exact URL post and be sure to mention where your readers can find out about how to have a Quiet Time! (Here is your link: http://www.granolamom4god.com/2011/05/what-does-your-closet-look-like.html
Thanks!
P.S. If two Linky’s show up, use the first one. I can’t get the 2nd and sometimes 3rd Linky deleted . . . even when I edit my html code. Sorry!
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