But My Children are Young, I Can't Do What You Are Asking!

What I am about to tell you may ruffle your feathers.  But hang with me on this one and see how you feel after reading the entire post.  
In the last few days, I have asked you to specifically set time daily aside for God and your husband.  Those minutes that you guard because the person you are spending the time with is of great importance in your life.

Depending on your age, the age of your children, and where you are in life, some of you feel like I asked for the moon.

I get that. 

And, if you would have asked me just two years ago to get up at an early hour in the morning to have quiet time, I would have said emphatically, "I can't.  I have to have my sleep to function.  And, God understands my season of life."

But, I believe that I was wrong. I believed a worldly excuse on why I couldn't have time with my Savior.

When God started tugging at my heart about this issue, I found myself asking four questions:

• Do I eat each day?  Why...because I need the energy.
• Do I drink water each day?  Why...because I need the refreshment.
• Do I sleep each day?  Why....Because I need to be refueled.
• Do I spend time with God everyday?  Why...

I would never have gone all day without eating, drinking, and sleeping because I knew how desperately I needed these three items in my life.  And when it came to God, I knew He would provide direction, strength, peace, joy, reassurance.......and yet I thought I could do it on my own and didn't really need Him on a daily basis. 

Friends, I can't encourage you enough.  Nothing brings out the sinful nature more than being a mom. We need daily, consistent time with God because we do need Him.   

And this daily quiet time is not a legalistic, mark-it-off-my-to-do-list time.  I am talking about a drink-from-the-spring-of-life, addictive, I-want-more time.  Don't believe the lies of the world.  God has so much in store for you.  I know because I have just tasted my first bites. And I want and need more.

How do you start having a quiet time?  With a willing heart and a Bible.  John or James are great books to begin reading.  Or use one of my suggested quiet time studies.  It won't happen over night, but in time you will see how much you needed the time and will start to greatly desire this time each morning. 

Secondly, husbands.

People have touched you, wanted from you, and asked for something from you all day.  You are tired, depleted, and desiring a warm bath with a good take-me-away-from-reality book. Then your husband walks in wanting more.

Oh, trust me.  I get it.  My husband has received the are-you-kidding-me look more than a few times.  This was especially true just two years ago when our kiddos were 6, 4, 2, and newborn.

Now, I look back on that time and realize that I needed (and still need) to save more energy for my husband.  Often times as I worked around the house, I did busy work - things that didn't really need to be done.  Instead of focusing on the major, I poured buckets of energy into the minor.  I got sidetracked cleaning a closet or creating some craft idea for my kids or searching on the internet for a great idea that would save me hours of time (which almost never happened in the end).

Here are a few things that I have learned to do to save energy for my husband.

1. Go to bed on time. 
   There is not a internet post or TV show that is worth losing precious sleep.  Enough said.
    
2. Stick to chores that have to be done.
   I need to spend my energy on things that really matter.
3. Spend time with my kiddos and involve them in my activities.
   My Littles are less likely to get in trouble when they are right beside me.  This means less discipline.  For me discipline and consistency is the most exhausting part of my day. 
   
   
4. Whole family quiet time from 1-3 pm.
   When I had just one toddler in the home, I heard a mom say that her kids (no matter what their ages) had quiet time from 1-3 every day.  She needed the time.  Clueless as I was, it stuck with me and I now realize how right she was.  Our kids are trained to be in their rooms resting, reading, or quietly playing between these hours.  The kiddos need this rest and quiet time, and so does mommy.  This is mommy's work time during the week.  Every once in a while I will even take a short nap.  And on the weekends, this is mommy/daddy time. 
5. Early bedtimes without issues.
   I mentioned this in yesterday's post.  7:00 is our children's bedtime.  If you are still having trouble getting your children to sleep at night or stay asleep all night, find a solution quickly for the sake of your marriage. 

Is God first in your life?  Does your husband come before your children?  If you are not sure, check your day planner.  It never lies. And remember, we are in this together.  I daily struggle to keep it all balanced.  Be sure to read the beginning of this Scheduling series and then come back as we add the "Must Be's" on  our schedule next time. 



Questions?


Image Source