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Scheduling Quiet Time

by Rachel Paxton

Scheduling quiet time isn't easy for busy moms. I find that a
lot of the time I don't even have the time to sit down and
schedule my quiet time. Sound familiar?

Finding a few moments to yourself is difficult whether you're a
working mom or a stay-at-home mom. As a working mom, I get up
early, go to work, come home and make dinner, watch a little
television, and go to bed. In the morning I'm always in a rush
to get up and get everyone out the door, and in the evening I'm
too tired to think let alone accomplish anything productive.

I recently realized that at least a whole year had gone by since
I'd spent any length of time reading my Bible. Sure, I sit in
church every Sunday and can't resist all the great books coming
out by Christian writers (which I always seem to find the time to
read), but I just couldn't find the time to just pick up my Bible
and read.

What finally did it for me was watching my teenage daughter
faithfully reading her Bible every day and excitedly writing down
in her journal what the Lord had revealed to her through His Word
day after day. After awhile I just couldn't take it any more and
knew that something was going to have to change. My competitive
spirit finally got the best of me.

This year I resolved to read through the entire Bible by the end
of the year. I sit down and read a couple chapters a day,
sometimes more and sometimes less. I haven't quite got into the
journaling part of it yet like some people do, but I do quietly
contemplate what the Lord has to say to me that day.

What always trips me up is my promises to myself to "read every
day", or "read for a certain amount of time every day", or "read
at a certain time every day." As soon as I set up those
guidelines for myself, I have set myself up to fail. It turns
into a battle with my will, which I'm well aware is a
self-discipline issue, but old habits die hard.

I've found that if I miss a day I don't worry about it. I just
pick it up the next day. Sometimes I squeeze in my quiet time at
lunch time and sometimes I wait until bed time. I know a lot of
people like to get up early, before the rest of the family, to
have their quiet time and start their day off right, but I just
haven't got to the point where I can get up earlier and focus on
the things at hand. Maybe in time that will change.

Maybe you need to spend your quiet time praying and spending time
in the Lord's presence. When something's on my mind or the Lord
has put a burden on my heart, often I will just sit quietly and
pray. Often the feeling will last for several days and will
continue to be the focus of my quiet time.

If you ever feel yourself drifting off on your own and not quite
connected with the Lord the way you should be, spend some time
alone with Him and see what message He might have for you. Just
pray quietly, and open His Word, and He will be right there just
waiting for you to call on Him.

Whether it's in the car, or while you're cooking or doing
laundry, or getting ready to fall into bed, find some time to
talk with the Lord today. Find your quiet time. And don't
forget that your kids are watching everything you do. If they
see your desire to connect with the Lord then chances are they
will want to too.

Copyright 2003. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and
Christian wife and mom. For complete resources for the Christian
home, visit her web site at http://www.Christian-Parent.com. To
subscribe to her monthly newsletter send a blank e-mail message
to Christian-Parent-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.