{Day 31} :: Reflection

I made it. Thirty-one days of sitting. I must admit it's nice to be on this end of the challenge. But not because the challenge itself has been arduous. It's just that the documentation of it has been so . . . so . . . daily. (Translated: I will NOT be posting tomorrow. Unless something wildly noteworthy occurs. Which is unlikely. My children have slipped into a sugar coma. Or is it sugar comas, plural? I don't know. I'm slipping myself.)

No, it was a great challenge, and I truly found myself learning a thing or two as the thirty-one days marched by. Might I share them with you?


1. No matter how busy I am, there's always time to sit with those that God has placed in my life. When I begin my day with the Lord and ask Him to order my moments, He honors my request. Above and beyond, in fact. I'm not at all surprised. Delighted? Yes. Surprised? No. My God is faithful that way.

2. A few minutes is all it takes. Of course, I would love to ignore every household responsibility, hire a maid and just play with LEGOS and Calico Critters all day. (Can I hear an Amen?) But since this wouldn't be very practical, I make an effort to take advantage of those times in which I can. (Little Miss Kate at the piano? A mere ten minutes. She's thrilled to her core. How easy is that? And so, so worth it.)

3. Free time doesn't necessarily mean me time. I've become much more aware of how I spend my free time. There isn't a whole lot of it, and yes, I am aware that it's important to take the time to quietly tend to my own needs. But. Motherhood is about joyful sacrifice, and if that means taking that ten minutes between laundry and dinner prep to paint some itty-bitty fingernails, then that's a pretty good use of that ten minutes. Don't you think?

4. Like the counting of blessings, this sitting doesn't stop. It's becoming a part of me. I'm looking for it, living in it. I've seen how it strengthens my family, bolsters my children, blesses my marriage, renews my faith. Why on earth would I give up something that powerful?

So, yes. This has been a good, good month. I thank you for following my little challenge and for your encouragement along the way. And hey -- if you're ever in the area, give me a call. I'd love to sit with you over a cuppa tea. I'm getting pretty good at it.

Read about the thirty-one day challenge over here.