When my friend asked Part A of this question, she and her husband were considering adopting. Now I can’t remember her exact wording, and in the interest of being an equal opportunity riveter, I’m posting options:
- When do you have quiet time?
- When do you find time to nurture your spiritual life?
- When do you read your bible?
- Or, related to How Much Conversation Do You Need?, how much time alone do you need on a daily basis?
My answer, in the form of a rough draft of my schedule, I posted to The Space Between My Peers about a month ago.
BTW, do you think the last one deserves a post of its own?
4. I don’t need much time alone. I consider my time with family to be alone. LOL…
Regarding prayer times, I try to have one eveyday, but I am not particular about when it is. I do not feel the need to be totally alone to do it either. Subsequently my kids see me read my Bible quite often. And I enjoy writing my prayers out in a journal. I have had times when I had prayer times more than once a day. But lately it has been slack, and I don’t meet with Him everyday, in any prayer time… but I do pray throughout the day. and try to read the Bible at least once a day.
Mrs. Meg Logan
My answer to #1-3 would be primarily in the morning. I take my shower first to get awake, and then spend some quiet time before everyone else gets up. I do like to do it when the house is quiet, but can go to my room and shut the door later on when the others are up if need be.
It helps start my day on the right foot. If I wait, it’s too easy to get caught up in the routine of the day and forget. But if, for some reason, I miss that morning time, then following a natural break helps (like just after taking my son to school or after lunch).
I blogged about this last week — there’s one post called “Devotional tips” at http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/works-for-me-wednesday-devotional-tips/ (sorry — don’t know how to make a hyper-link in a comment) and one called “Encouragement for mothers of young children” where I wrote about struggles to maintain a quiet time when my kids were small at http://barbarah.wordpress.com/2006/09/06/encouragement-for-mothers-of-young-children/
In the last question, you’re asking about general time alone, not quiet time with the Bible, right? I spend the greater part of most week-days alone until my youngest son gets home from school. I do enjoy it. I wouldn’t want to be a hermit or live alone — I do love some degree of social interaction — and I do love my family — but on week-ends or during vacation, etc., I do get “rattled” if I don’t have some time alone. I don’t know why — that’s just my personality, I guess.
Meg: I think that’s awesome that your kids see you reading your Bible!
Barbara: I will definitely be looking at your posts in connection with my upcoming project, a workshop for young moms. Thanks for posting!
Oh, and about the last question, Barbara, you understood it right.
I find that I get depressed if I don’t have enough social interaction and “rattled”, as you so aptly put it, if I don’t have enough time alone.
And things get ugly fast, too, if I don’t have enough time in conversation with my husband. My, I am needy, aren’t I?
The last one is a totally separate question. Since I have a toddler at home, I’m rarely alone. He is a great napper, so I really value that couple of hours. If I can’t really be alone, that’s okay, but I do try to retreat–to my room alone to read, watch TV, or net surf.
Questions 1 – 3:
1. I have quiet time in the morning–before everyone gets up–because if I don’t, I miss out. I often do some other Bible study later in the day.
2. I find time by making sure I wake up early. When I don’t, I suffer (because I’m undisciplined and don’t take advantage of naptime). The other thing is by signing up for Bible studies–I get good teaching, accountability to do a lesson on my own each week, and fellowship to boot.
3. I think I already answered the question–in the morning, and usually some other time throughout the day.
Fun new blog–thanks for pointing us over here.
My preference is to start the day with quiet time…before the kids get up. Then I’m all charged up! Later, the kids and I read the Bible together and sing a hymn or SS song together. They love this time.
My quiet time is my nurture time (pray and read Bible, and I used to do a prayer journal, haven’t updated it in a long time)…however, I LOVE Christian radio and try to have it on whenever I’m in the kitchen working (unless it’s school time at the table)…my favorite radio preachers really feed my soul…
Time alone…I love my kiddos but I do love their nap “room” time. Even my 8 yo has an hour nap (loosely defined as time in her room reading or listening to books on tape). Plus, my kids are outside a lot so I get a good two hours a day “alone” if you don’t count morning hours before they all emerge bright-eyed and bushy tailed!
Yeah, let the last one be a post of its own… :O)
Answering the question: Well with taking care of 5 kids all at the age of 5 and under I usually do it in the morning sometimes. Or when the kids nap. Sometimes it is only for a couple of min other times 30 min. I think it is very important to set aside time to do this. Everybody is so diff so diffent things work for them. I think God understand each person and knows what our heart truely desires.
For me and my husband we also like to read the Bible together in the mornings. (This is separate from our personal devotions.) We usually do this in the early morning. During this time together we have grown so much spirituallly. It has truely brought us closer as a family to Him.
As for ques. 4 This one makes me laugh. I would love to have more time alone but i know that God has blessed me with 3 small childeren of my own and now i am able to watch my niece and nephew too. At this time in my life i feel like God has me watching over these 5 kids so time alone is not all that important to me. As they get older i know that i will have more time to do stuff.
One thing that gets me through each day is prayer. I pray constantly .Usually a sentence prayer. This helps me remeber to keep my eyes on Him.
I try to have quiet time in the mornings. This happens about 10% of the time right now. I am trying to be more disciplined to wake up before the kids to do so. If it doesn’t work out, I at least make the point to sing a praise song and pray in the shower, asking God to help me to give Him my day. If I start the day with prayer I will usually remember to “pray without ceasing” at least untill noon :). If I don’t have quiet time with a good chapter of bible reading in the a.m., I wait untill after the kids are tucked in. If I don’t do it at all, things get ugly. I need my “daily bread” or I am spiritually empty and end up going on some self centered rampage that is hard to clean up. I am so dependant on the Lord and that is where he wants me. I once read someone (can’t remember who) who said that it is okay for moms of young ones who don’t have time to be alone with the Lord. I believed it for a while, but boy could I tell it was a lie. I am a horrible mother if I don’t first get my priorities straight with God and ask the Holy Spirit to help me through the day. I at least have to start with prayer for that and then the Bible reading helps me learn more about His word and what He would have to say to me to help me grow spiritually.