creative Christianity

I woke up this morning, fed Aaliya while super groggy and still half-asleep, I cuddled with her and then as she dozed off for her nap, I had a mini shut-eye for 15mins. Then, I woke up, got ready for my day and sat down to spend some time with the precious Holy Spirit.

And then, a knock at the door. Sammy's here. So much for time alone with the Lord. Sighh.

I am but a novice in the Mommy department and I know things are significantly easier since I really only have two of my own, one of which I share half the time. When I don't have Sammy, it is super easy to spend time with Jesus and get things done. But, Sammy is a sort of preparation for a larger family, so I find myself unable to do the same things I ws doing before to spend time with Him.

It is a new season...

Much like in Song of Solomon 2 when the Bridegroom declares, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along." (v.10) Mommyhood is this entirely new season where the Lord is calling us to arise and mother. Yet, like the Shulamite we tell Him to turn away from us, intimidated by this great call. So much like the Shulamite again, we seek Him whom our soul loves the same way we sought him previously (in previous seasons of our lives), over and over again expecting the same thing, but getting zero results (Songs 3:1).

Mommyhood is altogether a new season in every facet of life, including our walk with Jesus. So, setting aside time to feed our spirits will look entirely different from that of a college student, a mother with older children and a retired individual. It just does... But, that doesn't mean that we get to just be Marthas without having the joy and intimacy of sitting at the feet of our Beloved Jesus.

So, again... I am no expert, but here are some practical ways I have learned to feed my flesh while doing the "mundane" so to speak.

• Prayer Room Atmosphere: This is directly related to our last post on being the barometer of the home, but always have some sort of worship music playing in the background. The Holy Spirit delights in our worship to Him, even if it's right smack in the middle of changing a poopy diaper, preventing our own personal melt down or while dusting furniture. Truly, He delights in the very effort of our hearts, and the atmosphere of worship will tenderize our Spirits to listen to Him more keenly.
• Be wise with your time: Attempt to place your children on a schedule where at least once a day, they take a nap at the same time. Then, use that time for one on one with Jesus. Don't worry about the laundry or the dishes or dusting or ironing. Spend that quiet time in your home as a sacred time with the Holy Spirit. Even while ministring as a mom and a wife, we must still keep Jesus first and prioritize Him above all else!
• Faith comes by hearing: Listen to teachings from your favorite speakers while you are cooking or dusting or vacuuming. As the kids are entertained with another activity, pop in your ipod (with one headphone so that you can still listen and keep an eye out on the kids) and listen away. There are also numerous apps and resources where you can listen to the Word of God. I did this yesterday while cooking and loved it! We are also playing the Word every night as we sleep. :)
• Sacrifice: Even though I am failing miserably at my maximize your morning challenge, I still stand with the conviction that waking up early is an absolute must for mamas, including myself. That time at dawn is so sacred and beautiful, that I can almost guarantee nothing we do throughout the day will match that.

These are just a few simple suggestions and again I am by no means a pro. But I really believe this is the time to be feeding our spirits consistently and the ministry of wife and mommyness should not stand in our way. :)

What creative ways do you incorporate in spending time with Jesus as a wife and mommy?