Order in my Heart

I've found that if I am disciplined in one area of my day, it seems to affect everything else. For example, if I am on top of housework or exercising, then I find that I want to eat right, and have a disciplined time with the Lord as well. You'd think that doing more "things" in my day would have the opposite affect.

It reminds me of my college days - on the days that I had the most to do (tests, presentations, papers due, etc.) I would dress up. Choosing to take a little extra time with my appearance somehow helped me to give a little more attention to detail throughout the day.

In the last several months, we moved into a new-to-us home. It's safe to say it's a semi-fixer-upper. As I type this, my husband is digging up the front yard to fix a drainage issue. It seems that every room I look into has a to-do list. There's something to paint. Something to unpack. Or something to fix. I am enjoying the process and I'd much rather make a house look like me - but there are days that the to-do lists seem overwhelming.

About the time we moved into this house, a friend asked if I wanted a wooden desk that she was getting rid of. Not even knowing where I'd place the desk, I agreed that I'd take it! I gave it a fresh coat of white paint and decided to put it in my front room facing out the big windows. Our new lot is 1.8 acres and the view out of those fronts is calming and beautiful. Deer are often in the yard and the trees are so pretty.

I'd been struggling with my quiet time recently. I kept trying to find a time to read my Bible when the kids were asleep and the house was quiet - but since I am not a morning person, I was having a hard time.

Once the desk was in place in the front room, I decided that it would become my place of order. My place of rest. I leave my Bible, journal and current study book on the desk. The small drawer holds some pens, highlighters and post-its. There is a large rug behind my desk in the middle of the room - the kids play on the rug or eat cheerios or read books while I read my Bible each morning.

This fits my life right now. There are distractions and interruptions - someone needs help with a sock, someone needs more juice, etc. But I help them quietly and reply, "Mommy is reading her Bible right now."  I keep different toys in this room. Quiet toys, puzzles, books. But they are right there with me while I spend time with the Lord. It's really working for me.

I love this quote. "Be the mom you want them to remember." I have placed it in a frame on my desk to be a constant reminder. I feel like my little place of order is showing the kids what's important to me. It's now a regular thing - my kids know that "Mommy is reading her Bible" first thing in the morning. I even heard Hudson tell his little sister "Hudson is reading his Bible right now" the other day - he really just didn't want her bothering him, but I love that the phrase is a common one in our home right now.

I think it's important that:

1. They see me in the Word.
2. They see that I am disciplined.
3. I am more patient with their constant questions or requests (because it's kind of hard to be angry with your kids that they are interrupting your Bible reading - that's not Christ-like! ha)
4. I start the day right - I am actually able to tackle more!

But most importantly, my little white desk is a visual reminder all day long of what orders my day and WHO orders my life. I see the desk as I walk through the house putting away laundry. I remember that I started my day with Christ. And in the midst of a chaotic house, I have one place of order and rest.

I received a great book to review this week and I am excited to add it to my morning routine. The Praying through the Bible for your Kids book has a devotion for each date that ties into a Bible reading plan. If you follow the plan, you will have read through the entire Bible in one year. Each day has something from the Old Testament, something from the New Testament, a Psalm and a Proverb. The devotional pulls out practical/helpful things for parents to consider based on the passages of the day. The last thing on each daily page is a prayer to pray over your children - some days even have blanks for your to say your children's names as you pray. I love this practical approach to reading through Bible as a parent.

I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for an honest review.

And, since I have started reading my Bible in front of my kids, they have asked for more Bible stories and to read their Bibles. We are currently reading through a Bible Story book that I had as a kid. The Beginner's Bible. The illustrations have been recently updated, but the truths are still the same. The kids love looking at the pictures first and trying to guess what story we will be reading. They are realizing that these stories are the ones that they hear taught to them at church. I love making this a consistent part of their day as well. This particular book has short stories - an early reader could easily read themselves. The illustrations are colorful and adorable. The pages are glossy.  We love it!

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Whatever place you choose. Whatever time is best. I would encourage you to find your own place of order. This verse has become one that I read most mornings to remind me of why I do this!