“Little Things Are the Big Things” – Rhythms of Daily Life
It’s not the trip to Disney nor the big birthday parties that your children will remember when they leave home according to Kristen Welch, author of Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World. It’s the little things; the day-to-day routines and rhythms of life that get deeply embedded into their little souls. It’s the atmosphere that is created in the home; the love that is given freely and unconditionally; guardrails that bring about a sense of safety and security. It’s dinner time conversations with the highs and lows of the day and Friday night pizza with board games. It’s the feeling of acceptance and joyful laughter. It’s even joining into the mess of life with tears that provide comfort to the child whose tears flowed first.
What is it that thwarts our established rhythms, our routines, and the atmosphere we desire to create in our homes? Could it be that we are allowing our culture or even our children to direct our priorities rather than sitting at the feet of Jesus and taking our directives from Him? Are our weekly and monthly commitments given prayerful thought? I think of 1 Thessalonians 4:11 when I think of a preschool mom. It says, “And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.” The last part makes me think of fixing healthy meals, turning the pages of a picture book, or changing a diaper. A quiet life is a simple life for an audience of One. It takes work and intentionality to achieve it, right? The world does not value a quiet life.
For those of you who work outside the home, I understand. I did, too. My work provided guardrails, and I met most outside requests with a “no.” My plate was already full, and I needed to provide myself a little margin for those times when my husband or my child needed some extra.
How can we lead this quiet, simple life in our fast-paced culture? I’ll share with you my answer: when I begin the day meeting with Jesus and reading God’s Word; when I set aside time for prayer; when I build in margin so that interruptions are not met with irritability; when I focus my time on pre-established priorities – knowing the goal is abiding in the Vine not in checklist outcomes; when I take my thoughts captive and walk by faith instead of my emotions; when I nap if necessary and say “no” if I feel the Holy Spirit nudging me. I realize it’s not always possible to nap when the baby or toddler naps but know this: a rested mom is always a better mom so take that nap if you can and silence the noise. I was smitten by Kristen’s quote which I wrote at the top of my notes. She remarked, “Most every sin we make is because we’re hurrying.” I think that is especially true in our interactions with our children when we rush through our days.
What is the result of our hurried lifestyle? In one recent study 39% of Americans reported being more anxious than they were a year ago. Could there be a correlation between a hurried lifestyle and anxiousness? I have been learning that my time is not my time; I am a steward of it. It’s the Lord’s, and I need to get in lockstep with how He wants me to invest it. Yes, how we spend our time is an investment, especially when it comes to little lives. Ephesians 5:15-16 cautions us, “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil.” And dear moms, providing yourself with ample rest IS making good use of your time. Make it a priority as best you can!
Look at your weekly calendar. Too demanding, overly-scheduled? I challenge you to prayerfully cancel one thing if you can without compromising your integrity. As Kristen remarked, “Time goes faster than we think; slow down or we’ll miss it.” Miss what? Miss the best things in life. I believe it’s the blessing of fellowship with the Lord, allowing that relationship to flow into every other relationship, which cultivates a rich and meaningful life.
Cultivating those rhythms of daily life and curating the atmosphere of our home are the little things that become the big things when our children look back at their time under our roof.
