Wordless Wednesday: Quiet Time with Daddy

 

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Revisiting Quiet Times

I just got done coloring in my Bible, and I thought of you all. 

How are your quiet times?  What is God teaching you?  What are your struggles?  Joys?  Must haves?

I know how 10 wonderful women spend their time.  They have shared their about their fellowship with the Lord.  They wrote about some brutally honest issues and challenges that they are dealing with. 

I started to think about it . . . I know that more of you spend time reading your Bible.  Won’t  you share?  Won’t you encourage others by being real with us?

As I pondered the discipline of Quiet Times . . . and read from Matthew 6, I realized why some might be hesitant to share.  Matthew 6:1 says, “Be aware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”

Reading this, I too would proceed with caution.  Yikes. 

We are even instructed in verse 6, to go “into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and  your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

Reading this I felt compelled to clarify.  I’m not asking you to share what you are praying for, how long you spend in the Word, what you have given, or how much your Bible costs, etc. 

I’m asking how you do it. 

What do you use or need to get quiet before the Lord.  We live in such a noisy and busy society . . . how do you keep that out or use it to benefit your times with Jesus?

What would you recommend to someone who just met Jesus for the first time?

Are you struggling to sit before the Lord?  Why?  How are you dealing with this?  How does it affect other areas of your life?

I realize I might be asking a lot of you.  I’m often a little open . . . raw . . . brutally honest. 

Not everyone else is comfortable with that.

I understand.

But I’m asking you to step out of your comfort zone. 

Leave a comment here on the original blog post or on Facebook in a note (and tag Granola Mom 4 God) or share on your blog (directions here). 

I Want His Chair . . . A Childs Quiet Time

Little eyes are watching.  They absorb what you say and what you do. 

 

 

This past Sunday, I had the privilege of sitting outside to spend time with God doing my Precept Upon Precept study of the book of Matthew. (And no, this is NOT an affiliate link.)

 

 

I was a bit distracted by this sweet sight.

 

 

Ezra sat content . . . restful . . . only moving his fingers to turn a page . . . for a solid hour.  And when he was done, he was so excited about being with Jesus!

 

 

Be sure to link up about your sweet spot on this post . . . please do share how you spend time with Jesus, even if it is just a comment or on Facebook.

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Teaching Your Child to Have a Quiet Time --

Many of you have asked how to go about initiating “quiet times” with your children.  Good question. 

Initially, my goal is to establish a routine.

From a routine we create a habit.  The habit of being by yourself.  Being still so that that stillness can later be transferred to being still before the Lord.

I begin quiet times with my kids when it appears they are giving up their first nap.  By that time they can sit up and hold a sippy cup.  Umm . . . yea . . . I guess I also teach my children to have a comforting beverage with the Lord.

But seriously, think about it.  when you meet with someone . . . a dear friend . . . don’t you often meet over a Starbucks or a steaming cup of tea? 

I thought so.

So . . . at around 12 months or so we begin. 

The quiet time replaces the morning nap.  The quiet time starts before your little one shows signs of being a wee-bit tired . . . but not quiet ready for a nap. 

Sippy in hand, we climb the stairs to said child’s (ren’s) bedroom(s).  I help them into their crib or bed.  I pile a few books on their bed along with approximately 3 indestructible toys.  As they begin to play and sip their leche, I read to them from their Bible (see this post).

 

So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Then, I turn some soft music on and exit the room.  My favorite music for kids?  Anything from Seeds of Worship.  (By the way, Jolanthe (Homeschool Creations) is hosting a giveaway for some Seeds music right now.)

 

The typical length of my kids’ quiet times? 30 minutes to an hour, or whenever the CD is over.

They come to need it.  They crave it.  I also enjoy it.  Quiet descends over the house for a short bit each morning.  We all get refreshed.

As they grow older, their quiet times evolve.  Books change from cardboard to picture books to word books . . . but somewhere is always a Bible that is age appropriate.

 

And now . . . my almost 7 year old spends some of his time . . . not playing, but praying and reading his Bible.

 

 

Or looking at his Action Bible . . . which has some pretty cool pictures. 

 

How do your kids do their quiet times?

Do share . . . I’ll leave a Linky just in case . . . because this could be a great resource for moms who want to know how to launch their children into the blessing of a quiet time with Jesus!

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What Does Your Closet Look Like?

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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I want to Stand for A Quarter of a Day

I wasn't going to blog today.

I need to de-clutter the hard drive, give tags to random pictures, and delete unworthy pictures.

Additionally, I desire to sew a sling, run an errand to Walmart (yes, I do occasionally shop there), and accomplish the bit of school that Mr. Smackdown so sweetly asked for today.

But as I sat down today to read to my two early risers for their morning Quiet Time, I was so struck by scripture that I felt compelled to share.

Currently, I am reading through Nehemiah with the boys. As I was reading chapter 9 to them on this dreary day (it was grey at the time) . . . feeling somewhat lifeless and insignificant, over-touched by little hands and under-loved by the world, I was struck with the awesomeness of what the Israelites accomplished or rather purposed to do (I have only included what hit my foggy brain the hardest):

On the twenty-fourth day of the same month, the Israelites gathered together, fasting and wearing sackcloth and having dust on their heads. Those of Israelite descent had separated themselves from all foreigners. They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers. They stood where they were and read from the Book of the Law of the LORD their God for a quarter of the day, and spent another quarter in confession and in worshiping the LORD their God.

"Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

You have kept your promise because you are righteous.

Now therefore, O our God, the great, mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love, do not let all this hardship seem trifling in your eyes—the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings and leaders, upon our priests and prophets, upon our fathers and all your people, from the days of the kings of Assyria until today. In all that has happened to us, you have been just; you have acted faithfully, while we did wrong. Our kings, our leaders, our priests and our fathers did not follow your law; they did not pay attention to your commands or the warnings you gave them. Even while they were in their kingdom, enjoying your great goodness to them in the spacious and fertile land you gave them, they did not serve you or turn from their evil ways.

As I return from too long of a vacation of spending quality time with the Lord, I am a little jealous of the time the Israelites allotted to standing, worshiping, and confessing to the God who loved them through thick and thin. . . ugly and good.

What would it be like to go off to a quiet place, venti Mocha in hand, and sit or stand in front of a beautiful and quiet lake, and truly spend time in fellowship with the Lord?

I love my crazy life, but I miss the ability to just run away.

I seriously wouldn't trade a moment or a person in my Granola Family, but to be able to set aside this kind of sacred time . . . priceless . . . just to be with my Savior.

So if you can, go away today . . . tomorrow . . . next week. Let me know what it is like to have at least 8 hours of uninterrupted time standing with Jesus.

Before the Double Stroller

This post is new reading material for my sweet friend, Christina. For those of you who know me, it is a bit dated, but will be fresh and new to your eyes.

Before recently attaining a double stroller, I attempted to take a walk with my two-year old (Buddy A) and my seven-week old (Buddy E), using only a single stroller. Being a “good mom,” I placed the baby in the stroller (for a cat-nap) and let my eldest walk—thinking this would give him good exercise and allow him the freedom that this independent two-year old yearns for and I often restrict. The walk began beautifully, almost gracefully, as we sauntered along at a two-year old pace. We had ample time to look at every crack in the sidewalk, touch every lamp post and lava rock, pull every weed, and pet every lawn ornament. He was delighted at every tall blade of grass and energetically informed me of every one--during what was supposed to be a short walk. Yet, I began to grow impatient. I found myself not caring about stepping on a weed, catching a bug, or patiently explaining how we must hold hands to cross the street. Meanwhile, the newborn was remaining mostly content to sunbathe as long as I kept him in motion.

I, however, became impatient. I found myself saying, “Come on, Buddy A. Let’s go. Hurry up. We need to get home.” This only seemed to make Buddy A relish God’s creation even more, to my surprise.

In hindsight, I now ask myself, “Where did I have to be that made me rush Buddy A along?” Nowhere. So why was I telling him to hurry? Unbeknownst to my two-year old, he was doing something that I fail to do during my days as a professional chef, maid, teacher, wife, seamstress, and laundry mat. He was taking the time to admire God’s creation. Buddy A's excitement and lollygagging were praise to God’s ears. But they interrupted my agenda.

What I failed to remember was twofold:

1. Being a mom is my job (among many others), even though I don’t punch a time clock and get paid for it. I need to see that my children aren’t an interruption, they are God’s creation and gifts to me. Yes, there may be things that I want to get done, BUT I need to work on having a servant’s attitude toward my children. They won’t always be this age, wanting and needing my attention. One day the house will be quiet--no diapers to change or onesies to be washed, and no toys to be picked up. Then I will miss the days of hearing Buddy A tell me every time he takes a drink of water and Buddy E’s little cough alerting me to the fact that it is time to feed him.

And . . . .

2. In order to enjoy God, I need to spend time with God. Yes, even with two kids (now 3), there can be time to spend with God. In fact, there must be time made to spend with God. If something is important to you, you will make time for it. When I don’t spend time with God, I find myself becoming impatient and short tempered with my little flock. And I find my voice doing and saying things that I mentally criticized other moms for doing before I had children, namely yelling (but you probably haven’t ever done that). Yet, now I understand how this happens. When I don’t spend time with God I can’t walk in His Spirit or display His fruit. In short, I must spend time with God to walk in His Spirit and display His fruit.

The following two verses give me hope and encouragement. I pray that as you meditate on them they will do the same for you.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)