Jesus & Fruit Snacks

They say it takes about 10,000 hours of practicing a skill to become an expert. 

With Advent upon us, what better time to try and become experts in God's ways! However, I don't know about you, momma, but in this season of raising a family, I do not have 10,000 hours to become an expert in anything! I barely have 10 minutes at the start of my day before my little people with big demands wake up with an agenda all their own. When I first became a mom, I felt like there was no way, in this season of life, that I would have a deep connection with the Lord. 

Pre-children, I could wake up when I wanted and have a full hour of prayer time. I could sit with a cup of tea, my favorite pens and highlighters, take a deep breath, then devour chapters of my Bible. I could journal and take notes while I read, asking questions, and searching for answers. I would bring a prayer journal to Sunday service to jot notes about Father's homily and how I could apply those concepts in my life outside those 4 walls.

Now...I am lucky if I can get a few minutes of prayer before the kids are up. And journaling during mass...HA! I am lucky if I can hear half of what is said during the service while my husband and I play "pass the baby" (or preschooler, let's be honest). I feel more like a waitress during prime service hours than a parishioner trying to absorb the Word of God...seriously my kids eat more during mass than breakfast and lunch combined!

During this season of life when I, quite frankly, need Jesus in my heart more than ever...it is so difficult to get the time I need with him. There is plenty of well-intentioned advice out there saying things like...It's okay, just read your Bible when you can...or...This too shall pass and then you can get back to a prayer routine...or...Just wait until they are sleeping through the night, don't put too much pressure on yourself. This advice is all well and good, and it might make me feel better in the moment, BUT it doesn't keep my heart from wanting that deep relationship with the Lord that I know I need. 

I have grown to realize that the little years do not have to be a pause in my relationship with God.

Allow me to explain...

How many times a day do I pick my phone and scroll Facebook, Instagram, Amazon.com, Gmail...etc? How many hours in a week do I sit on the couch at night and zone out in front of the TV?

What do I listen to in the car on the way to the grocery store? 

What am I scrolling on my phone while I am nursing my newborn?

Do you see where I am going with this?

There are plenty of opportunities in my day that I can sit (or stand) with the Lord. Yet again, the world has us thinking that in order to have quality time with our Creator, we need to sit at his feet in solemn silence, Bibles open, highlighter in hand. I used to get upset when my kiddos would wake up during my precious morning "quiet time". How can I have a conversation with Jesus while there is a dirt bike race happening in my living room?

Momma, I am here to tell you that you can be in communion with the Lord in the chaos of your daily life! 

Practical Tips:

Here are a few tips I have learned from women much wiser than I that have helped me get back into a rhythm of spending time with the Lord.

1. Start your day with thanks. I have started to say, "Thank you Lord for the day that I need!" out loud to myself each day when I wake up. This helps me refocus my mind and remember that whatever life brings me that day, it is in the Lord's plan.

2. Download a Bible app. I love the She Reads Truth app but I have also used the You Version Bible app as well. What I love about both of these apps is they have devotional plans that can help you get started reading the Bible again (or for the first time!). Both apps invite you to read scripture and then reflect. The best part, you can do it from ANYWHERE and it can take as long or as short as you'd like.

3. Ask God to open your heart to his word before you start reading the Bible. Reading the Bible is hard. The language can be difficult to understand. The context is thousands of years ago and can feel unrelatable. And sometimes our hearts just don't feel in it, we want to be doing something else. (However, let me tell you, I always feel better after spending time with God...especially on the days I don't want to take the time).

4. Listen to the Bible. The You Version Bible app has the ability to read to you! This is perfect for in the car or on walks with the kiddos. (And best of all it is FREE!)

5. Listen to Christian radio, podcasts, books, etc. I try to fill my day with the Lord. When I am playing on the floor with the kids, I sometimes turn on a podcast in the background or listen to some Christian children's music. A few of my favorite children's albums are by Dana Dirksen where she sets scripture to a song. This is a fantastic way for you and your kids to learn key verses from the Bible!

6. Read the Bible with your kids. We have started Fruit Snack & Jesus Time in our house. This is a time when we memorize scripture and read from their Jesus Storybook Bible. (And yes the fruit snacks are a bit of a bribe to get them to sit still for 5 minutes!) This time is crucial for building their love for the Word but it is also time when I can work on my memorization of verses right along with them! The kids love it! Somedays we read more than I had planned while others we can barely get through the story I had picked out...but that's okay. We are doing what we can with the moments we have. ***Just a little tip...If you are not very familiar with the Bible or are new to the faith, reading a children's Bible is a GREAT way to learn the stories in a way that is easier to understand! This is a wonderful way to get a deeper understanding of God while also teaching you children about Him!

After some analysis of my day, it was easy to see that there IS time during my day to be with the Lord. I know my situation is different from yours but I would encourage you to see if one or more of these ideas could work for you...

Intentional time spent with the Word helps build our relationship with Christ. It is through this relationship that we can grow in his image.

So whether you have 30 minutes of quiet time to start your day or you are trying to squeeze in 2 minutes here and 6 minutes there...you can do it, momma! This season of wiping little noses, butts, and hands does not need to halt your pursuit of God. We need Jesus in our hearts in order to teach our little ones to love and follow him. We cannot teach what we do not know ourselves!

I know that sometimes reading the Bible can be discouraging because it has hard concepts to digest. It feels archaic and distant from our current situation. But the only way to get better at understanding it is through time and practice! Maybe it takes 4 years or 6 years or even 10 years to reach that 10,000-hour marker, but if we don't start now, chances are we'll just keep putting it off. Building our Biblical literacy exemplifies to our children what it looks like to be a woman of the Word. Our duty as mothers (and fathers, grandfathers, grandmothers, etc) is to raise up our children to know and love the Word of God...so doesn't it makes sense that we should also know and love it?

Open up your Bible momma (or your Bible app) and start reading. It will probably feel slow and clunky at first. You will be hot and cold depending on your current situation. You might have to fight the urge to open your Facebook app when you know you should be opening your Bible. But you can do it! And you won't regret it. I promise.

Remember, I do not have this. And neither do you.

But, God does. Go to Him.

---

Something We Are Loving Right Now!

Life with 3 littles four years old and under is trying. There are days when I just want to give in! Throw on some cartoons and just cry. Last week all four of us had some sort of crying meltdown before 9 am...those days seem so long and so lonely. Now I am not telling you this so you have pity on me! Most days are great! I would not change staying home to raise my family for anything. On those tough days, I would typically turn to Facebook (see post here about that) so I have been trying to build a new habit of listening to some uplifting music instead. With Christmas right around the corner, I have been listening to a lot of Christmas music and I have got to share these two songs with you! They are so beautiful and I just love how they put this season into real life. What it must have felt like for Jesus' parents. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the divinity of Christ I forget the humanity that also surrounded him. They bring patience to my heart as I just want to embrace my children as I imagine Mary and Joseph did with their sweet baby Jesus.

So take a listen...I think you are going to LOVE these two tracks.

Mary and Joseph

When Love Was Born