Quiet Times in a Busy Household

- By Marylin Boyer

I dream of a spacious house full of rooms and lots of storage places. Central in that dream is my quiet room—a room with thick insulation and a skylight under which is a big, comfy recliner just waiting for me to plunk down and read my Bible, pray, and meditate, uninterrupted. As I look up through the skylight, I view the puffy cumulus clouds drifting by in the midst of a beautiful blue sky—a perfect scenario for meditating on the riches of God's inexhaustible Word. Nearby is my bookcase, full of study books and concordances, and a spacious desk on which I can leave my books spread out when not in use, ready to pick up right where I left off.

That's my dream, but it's not a reality—not in this season of my life! I'm a mom of 14 blessings. Yes, blessings! I wouldn't trade any one of them for all the solitude in the world, but I must confess, there are times I would like to experience, as the song goes "Blessed Quietness." It happens only at very unusual times in my bustling household—like maybe after 11 p.m. or midnight.

Through the years, I've had to adjust my quiet time to my husband Rick's schedule and the children's ages and, therefore, changing schedules. You know how it is—the not-so-routine routine changes all the time.

I have tried to make a quiet time with the Lord a priority. It's a precious time when God speaks to me, I speak to Him and draw from His Word, and His Spirit gives me the guidance and direction I need for my busy life. I need God's direction on how to raise 14 unique personalities to direct each one to serve the Creator. It's not an easy task; actually, it's impossible in my own strength. I know that, but I also know that God cares about all those little details of my life and their lives and my husband's life much more than I do, and He has a perfect plan for all of us. I need God. I need His presence, the washing of His Word, the red flags in my spirit to turn me from the wrong paths, and the nudge of His Holy Spirit to keep my focus on His priorities.

Being a Mom is a 24-hour-a-day job, but as the years have gone by I've learned to evaluate and reevaluate my schedule to give God my best time.

For some people that's first thing in the morning and that's great, but I've never been a morning person. I find my mind is sluggish until I've been awake awhile. When I had a house full of infants, toddlers, and nappers, naptime was my best time. Then for a while Rick worked a night shift. Nighttime, right after the boys went to bed at 7:30, was best for me. Now, my house is a busy place from early morning till late at night. I have four kids married, five, almost six, grandchildren, and a house where all know they are welcome to hang out and entertain friends. Several of my older girls operate their own businesses, as does Rick. Then there's our ministry, and the younger kids have varied interests. Therefore, "busy" is a huge understatement. On a given day, you may find Tuck hammering away making designs on his belts or nailing birdhouses together; Kasey may appear as a multitude of costume clad figures from history, blowing on her fife or banging out a song on her drum; and Kelley is practicing the piano. Various grandchildren may be here playing cars or with the dollhouse and, of course, they want NaNa (that's me) to play with them. I long ago determined that I would be the kind of grandma who gets down on the floor and plays with them or reads Bible stories to influence them positively for the Lord. That's my goal, and it's a big one, especially since I still have an eight year old, a ten year old, and a 13 year old. (Nine kids still live at home!)

All that to say, most nights you'll find me up late at night or even in the wee hours spending my best uninterrupted time with God. (Don't look for me super early in the morning!) I get fed, my spirit is refreshed, and our direction is set for the new day—tomorrow. Find the time that works best for you now, in whatever season you find yourself, and don't feel guilty if it's not what works for others. I've found what works best for others often doesn't fit me—my life is unique. Yours is, too, so ask God to show you your best time and do your best to meet with Jesus and feed your soul.

I've worked hard to find times that work for my children to have their quiet times. Kasey (8), Kelley (10), and Tuck (13) have their Bible reading time in the afternoon after school and lunch, before free time. Grace, a morning person, gives God the first part of her day. What's important is that you do schedule it in and do it—experiment a little and find a working plan. My three youngest do Bible studies and verse memorization as a part of their school each morning. They are rewarded for learning a certain number of verses, as God is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Joshua 1:9 promises us success in all that we do if we will meditate on His Word. Take it in, chew on it, mull it around in your mind and heart until it becomes part of the way you think and act. Of all the things we can teach our children, a love for God and His Word should be paramount. If it is, God will place His blessing on all we do, including our homeschooling endeavor.

Blessings to you and yours,

Marilyn

Marilyn Boyer is a blessed mom of 14 and grandma of four, who has taught her children at home since 1980. Her passions are training her family to reach their potential for serving God and encouraging other moms to do the same. She has authored several books on home education and Christian parenthood and is a nationally known homeschool speaker. She and her husband, Rick, operate The Learning Parent, a ministry that equips and encourages parents in their exciting mission of training future generations. www.thelearningparent.com