Peace in Autumn

This morning my children fought over:

Who woke up first

What time it really was

Who could use the computer first (no one...it's a Sunday morning)

Whose turn it was to get the mail (newspaper)

Who got to bake for Grandmama's birthday (we're celebrating her today right after church)

What is the right way to make icing

Who was going to make her a card

Who sat where in the car

Who touched someone else's toy or earrings or DS

My husband and I wondered if other families we knew were enjoying the daylight savings extra morning hour, or if it was one more hour of crazy before church!

 

For my quiet time with The Lord I am currently using the NIV Serendipity Bible for groups. In the margin of this Bible are lots of discussion questions to get groups talking, but sometimes I like to use the questions myself for reflection or talking things over with God.

Today, next to Psalm 1 was the question "What makes you happy?"

I jotted down in the margin:

Peace

Rest

Quiet

Beauty

Reflection

Wisdom

Time with those I love

Getaways

Adventures

Learning new things

Maybe that's why I'm a little sour when the most adventurous thing some days offer is a load of laundry that hasn't been sorted into darks and lights. Or the most quiet I find is locking my bedroom door with the "do not disturb" signal and ignoring the door banging and "Mommmmmmmmmy" calls from the other side. Protecting quiet time and my relationship with God and my husband is no joke. It takes serious resolve and intentionality in this season of interruptions.

The boys thought that by running around the screen porch and staring at us through the window we would somehow soften, stop what we were doing for the forty-fifth time and unlock the sacred-keep-out-door, and run an errand for them. They were sorely disappointed until they decided to go upstairs and play Legos instead.

 

Stopping to list each day's blessings helps rearrange my perspective.

I'm going to start looking. Looking beyond the big things like health and family and for the little quiet things like the beauty of a picture someone took of a dandelion.

 

Psalm 1 talks about genuine blessedness being deeply rooted in God's word. Sometimes I miss the long times I used to have to study it. Now I'm lucky to swallow down a psalm in between answering questions, breaking up squabbles, and finding lost things.

Today the part about a tree bearing fruit in its season (v.3) sticks with me. I look outside the window and see leaves falling, covering our lawn. Soon they will stand naked against the winter sky. But on the inside there is still life. The trees are resting. And when spring comes again there will be flowers and then in summer, evidence of fruit.

I can only hope that "in due time" these early years of squabbling and interruptions, and fatigue will give way to fruit...the kind of fruit that will last.

May our kids grow up to know that we not only loved and served them, but we also made time for each other as a couple, and fiercely protected our quiet time to be still before God. Jesus, help us.