Busy Seasons in Motherhood

...his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers. (Psalms 1:2-3, ESV)

Today would be the day. Certainly 5:30 a.m. is early enough, I thought. Creeping out of the bedroom past my snoring husband, I made my way to the coffee pot. Everything was ready, prepped the night before. With one swift move of my hand, my plan was in motion. My Bible on the table, my journal next to it, today would be the day. With the busyness of the holidays upon us, my soul was aching for uninterrupted time in the Word. Sitting down with my freshly-made cup of coffee in hand, a silent prayer on my heart, I settled into what I hoped would be a time of refreshing.

“Mama, I have a headache.” Closing my eyes, a silent sigh on my lips, I smiled at my sweet baby girl. “Let’s get you some water and I’ll rub your back for a little bit to see if that helps.” My Bible, opened yet unread, sat on the table while the more pressing need called me away. By the time I got my littlest one back to sleep, my husband was awake. His chipper and talkative morning hours before a day of work are so different than his drained and tired hours in the evenings after dinner. Glad for some alone time with him over breakfast, I quietly closed my Bible and pushed it aside so we could talk for a few moments before he left. 

As I watched him exit the driveway, I reheated my coffee, pulled my Bible back out, reopened my journal, and tried to refocus my heart in prayer. I was starting a new Bible plan today. Excited with the promise of actually being on schedule for once, instead of six days behind like normal, I was determined to get the day’s reading in. Not just to fill my mind, but to fill my heart. 

Then my phone buzzed with a text from my middle daughter reminding me that her basketball shorts needed washing before her first game that afternoon. I knew that if I didn’t throw them in the wash right away, they wouldn’t be done in time for practice before her game. As I ran downstairs to start the laundry, I carried with me the heaviness that came from a feeling of walking away from God. Again.

The day continued much in the same way with the demands of motherhood robbing me of any free time. By the time the day wound down, it was late evening. Sitting back down at the table, I opened my Bible. I looked at my journal, recognizing it appeared the same way my heart felt after such a long day. Wrinkled and empty. I love being a mom, and I love serving my family. Yet at the same time, I felt weary. This season wouldn’t last forever, I knew. I’ve heard that with mothering, the days are long but the years are short. Still, I longed for more hours in the day and a solution to my weariness.

My head and heart cleared and the weight of the day lifted as I read scripture and experienced the peace that only comes from His presence. Praying through the words, I finished by turning to a Psalm. This was part of my new plan—reading through the Psalms as a way to reflect and pray on the study I had just completed.  Although I have read the Psalms before, this one hit with new revelation. 

...his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all he does, he prospers. (Psalms 1:2-3, ESV)

Motherhood, especially when your children are young, can feel like a dry season. If we only realized that our dry seasons can only be refreshed BY the Word. So many times we allow our dry seasons to keep us FROM the Word. That’s the reason we’re dry. Meditating on the Word helps us yield fruit in our current season without withering. If we neglect that “living water,” we feel defeated and drained. 

In this busy holiday season, I pray you will realize the source of our strength. Here are several practical tips which help me stay refreshed with God’s Word:

• Intentional time: Yes, for me that was quickly usurped by my daughter. But that doesn’t happen daily. Setting aside time may mean getting up early, watching one less TV show, or spending fewer minutes on social media. Being intentional with my time, planning on it like I would an appointment, assures the day doesn’t slip away.

• Lock screens: If the Lord impresses a verse or specific word on my heart during my reading time, I take that verse and use it as my lock screen and background on my phone. Then every time I pick up my phone, I see God’s Word. This not only helps my heart refocus, but it also helps me memorize that portion of scripture. Usually by week’s end, I have committed it to memory. Click here to download a free lock screen image.

• Index cards: This last one drives my family crazy, but I secretly catch them doing the same thing. If I want to focus on something or sense the Lord wants to deal with an issue within me, I write that portion of scripture on multiple index cards. I then post the cards around the house—in the laundry room, above the kitchen sink, the bathroom mirror, anywhere that my everyday tasks allow me a quick glance. Even that small step helps me to meditate on those words “day and night.”