Taking the Time

I haven't always been consistent with it. 

It's been a struggle over the years trying to figure out where it fit in with my day to day life. 

Reading.

Setting aside time in my day to read the Word hasn't always been at the top of my to-do-list...although it always should be. 

I'm making a strong effort to read a few chapters each day, right now from various places, and I'm also praying about how I can apply whatever I'm reading to my particular season of life.

What I have come to realize is that if I can give myself 30 minutes (sometimes more) to sit and read and reflect on God's Word and in prayer, I feel much better about the day. I think that is what a lot of people say, but there is truth to that.

It has been hard setting aside this time to read and getting into a consistent rhythm with it all while having three kids under 5 who need my attention each day, but what has helped is setting aside some time during my son's nap-time to read. My older girls get their time to themselves to do anything like read, watch TV, and/or play so that I can just sit and reflect on scripture. It's a good thing for them to observe.
Sometimes I can even get my girls to sit and read a few verses from the Bible with me (although that's a rare occasion).

I'm not sure why I use to feel guilty about doing that. I guess it was because I use to think that every waking moment had to be spent with my kids. And trust me, I do spend a lot of time with them...but God was making it clear to me that I needed time with Him also.

But I'm going to make it a point to set aside this much needed time- usually this happens in the afternoons- but it can happen anytime really. 

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And in other news, recently some baby birds hatched from their eggs in our azalea tree. When I snapped this photo of them, one of them was reaching up waiting for momma bird to come back with food. I don't know if this is a far stretch, but after seeing this photo, it reminded me of Matthew 6:25-34.

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.