For several years now, my children and I have been in the habit of reading and discussing a Bible story around the breakfast table. I find that for me, I am freshest in the morning and have waaaaay more patience with my kids, so I like this time of the day best. However, I know for some families, they like to read Bible stories at dinner or bedtime. The time of day doesn't matter...but what DOES matter is doing it faithfully and making it part of your family time together. I am always amazed by what the kids learn, and what I learn, in just a few minutes spent reading God's word and having a simple discussion about what it means for our lives. In an upcoming blog post, I plan to share with you some of my favorite resources with which do this...but for now, I want to delve into WHAT this time really looks like with my kids. When I started this devotional time with my children, I had VERY unrealistic expectations. I had visions of quiet and orderly children, who, after reverently bowing their heads for our blessing over the food, would sit around the table (hanging on my every word as I read from the Bible), ask appropriate questions, and retain all the appropriate details of the story and it's deeper meaning for their lives (okay, insert delirious laughing...yes, I was extremely naive!!)
So I'd like to chronicle one particular morning that I specifically documented last year, to show
you what a typical morning devotional time in my household looked like with the kids...
Tuesday February 19th, 6:30 am
I shuffle into the kitchen in my nightgown, bleary eyed,
trying to head straight to the coffee maker to grab a steamy cup of coffee to
start the day. Instead, I am intersected
by my 1 year old daughter in her footed pajamas, who wraps her arms around my leg and signs
the word "milk." I spin around
to the fridge, fill a pink sippy cup full of milk, hand it to her, and
then make my way to the coffee maker.
"UHHH!" she says as she throws her sippy cup down
and I watch as the milk leaks out in a small trickle, since the impact must
have dislodged the sipper stopper inside the lid. I debate whether she'd rather have had juice
or whether I picked the wrong sippy cup as I try to suppress a huge disgruntled
sigh.
My 4 year old son wanders into the kitchen at this point. "What's for breakfast?" he asks.
"What would you like, Turbo...French Toast or a Toaster
Strudel?," I inquire, as I try to mop up the drippy milk from the floor
with a damp paper towel and set the sippy cup on the counter.
"French Toast," he decidedly states back. I don't quite have the energy to insist that
he ask me again, this time using the word "please."
I get out the toaster, pop in some freezer French toast and hear my 6 year old daughter shuffle into the kitchen.
"Good Morning, Sunshine--what would you like for breakfast?," I ask.
"Good Morning, Sunshine--what would you like for breakfast?," I ask.
"Toaster Strudel, please." I am glad that she at least said please.
I grab the box from the freezer, add a toaster strudel to
the heating toaster and then get plates down from the cupboard. Now my toddler is again coming over to me,
hitting my thigh and signing the word "cereal." I go to the pantry, grab a box of Honey Nut
Cheerios and pour it into a little plastic bowl , handing it back to her.
While the toaster continues to heat, I remember that I never did grab that cup of coffee--I go for a travel mug instead of a ceramic one--I can tell at this point that I won't have a lot of time to sit and sip from a regular mug. The demands on my day have already begun.
The toaster pops up, and I fill plates with French Toast and Toaster strudels, carrying them to the table along with our Children's Bible. I dole out the plates like playing cards in a card game, pour the kids' milks, take them and Princess's bowl of cereal to the table and announce "Breakfast is ready!"
The two older kids slide into their chairs and I help Princess, the littlest, into her booster seat.
"Okay, kids, whose turn is it to pray for us this morning?" "MINE!" yells Turbo, "Thank
you God for the food...and the pandas.
AMEN." He opens his eyes to
find the steaming French Toast already laden with butter and syrup on his plate.
"I WANTED A TOASTER STRUDEL!" he rants as he slips out of his chair
and melts into a puddle on the floor, kicking his legs.
"You asked for a French Toast, Turbo, remember?" I firmly state as I find today's Bible lesson
in the Children's Bible.
"BUT I WANT A TOASTER STRUDEL!!"
"Turbo, you have two choices...you can sit down and eat
your French Toast, or you can leave the room...we do not have time to make you
another breakfast"
continued crying,
kicking...
"Okay, yesterday we learned about Daniel and how he was asked to interpret a dream. Does anyone remember whose dream it was?"
"King Nebaccanezer's", my eldest states.
"Good. And the amazing part is that Daniel not only
told him WHAT the dream meant, but he could actually tell him what the dream
WAS. Now that is a miracle!"
Blank stare from Sunshine.
"Turbo, what did Mommy say--if you are going to continue to cry, you need to leave this room!"
Sniffles, moans, Turbo starts to get up and shuffle into the
den.
I pick up the Children's Bible and start to read from Daniel
chapter 2 which describes the statue that Nebaccanzer dreamed about---it's
golden head, it's clay feet, how a small rock hits it and it crumbles it into
dust...meanwhile, I can feel Turbo by my side and I stroke his back and he
leans into me. I can tell he is sorry
and wants to come back to the table to hear the story. I look over to Princess, who has been picking
up Cheerios one by one and dropping them onto the floor.
"Princess, stop that! You know you are to EAT your cereal--no ma'am," I state firmly.
I continue reading, glancing over in Sunshine's direction as
she is picking up her Toaster Strudel and licking the icing off the top of
it. Turbo has his head buried into my
side. Princess slides down out of booster
at this point and picks up Cheerios off the floor, placing them directly into
her mouth. I think about telling her not
to eat off the floor, then I realize I am only one paragraph away from the end
of our lesson, so I push ahead to
finish.
"So, what did the little rock represent, Sunshine?" I ask as I close the book.
"God's Kingdom"
"Yes--that is great!" I glace at the clock. "Okay, kids, we need to get dressed for
school. Turbo, are you going to eat your
breakfast? "
"I am not hungry", he states and heads to his
room, chasing his older sister.
This is what our morning devotional time looks like most of the time. There is nothing quiet, neat, or tidy about it. It is chaotic. It is full of interruptions. Some days I get blank stares or "I dunno" answers when I ask a question. But let me tell you, although this time does not look the least bit productive or spiritual, it IS--God truly uses His word to change these children's hearts, according to the promises found in His Word.
Isaiah 55:10-11 states:
As
the rain(AF) and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,(AG)
so that it yields seed(AH) for the sower and bread for the eater,(AI)
11 so is my word(AJ) that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,(AK)
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose(AL) for which I sent it.
Let me just finish my little story...
Wednesday February 20th 6:45 am (the next day)
"OK kids, does anyone remember what Nebecannezer's
dream was"
"It was about a statue," Sunshine states.
"What was his head made out of?"
"Gold," Turbo chimes in.
"What was his feet made out of?"
"Clay"
"Clay"
"What did the little rock do?"
"It got bigger and bigger," Turbo states,
gesturing with his hands as they spread farther and farther apart from each
other.
"What does it represent?" I ask.
"God's Kingdom--it starts out small, but it the most
powerful kingdom," Sunshine adds.
I try to hide my shock and amazement. They listened. They internalized it. They GOT it.
And I've seen them do this with all sorts of Scripture. I've heard them rattle off all 9 fruit of the
spirit. I've heard them correct each
other as to which commandment is which of the Ten Commandments. I've sat in a parent-teacher conference when she told me that my 5-year-old son had spent time discussing "idolatry" and details of the crucifixion with a classmate. I stand there stupefied that God would use this
chaotic, unpredictable time of Bible training to impart deep and lasting truth to these little
ones...but He does! So what about your family, Mom? Are you willing to carve out a few simple minutes each day to read the Bible with your children? I do hope so! Check out the next blog post for a review of some wonderful resources I have used to teach mine--and please feel free to comment (in the comments section) on ones you have found particularly helpful as well!
No comments