It's a slow thing to have 11 children, even slower when 7 of them are under 7. I tend to say if we're not early, we'll be late...so we always aim for early. This takes time. The day we jumped from 6 to 8 was the day our life officially slowed to snail pace, though we had been in transition a while. And this year when we grew by 3 more, the progression toward slow sped up fast. This is where God has us.
Slow.
And it feels just right.
"And [Jesus] said to them, 'Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.'
(For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)"
Mark 6:31
(For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.)"
Mark 6:31
Of course fellowship with the body of Christ is always on our hearts. We have an open door and enjoy inviting others in to walk slowly together for the day in friendship, encouragement, sharpening, meals, prayer. We value God's workmanship through relationships.
"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
Romans 12:13
I used to pray for a "house that absorbs guests", words I had read in an article well over a decade ago now (maybe even 10 children less). They were words that stuck firm in my mind and here we are today. We pray that our home might have a sense of refuge, that it/we might offer a soft place to land, a place to fill a cup, a safe retreat from the pressure cooker outside. This is how we experience and commune with the Lord and it's how we offer Him to minister through us, both for our nuclear family as well as for those who stop in.
Yet, we're well aware that if we're to have something of value worth offering our guests,
we'll need to have walked slowly through the interim. We'll need to have been with Jesus.
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Acts 4:13
Indeed, we enjoy open doors with people wafting through as readily as the breezes. But such days are scattered amongst the slow.
We're cautiously protective of God's intentional tool in our lives...Time. We need it. We prioritize it...makes me think of Mary.
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.
Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'"
Luke 10:38-42
It's a tall order, this life of family discipleship. We take our role in our children's lives seriously. We intentionally invest our time. And though much of our time is spent usefully, purposely industrious, we likewise purpose nothingness, available for the unknowns of a day.
We set aside our time for the being together that equals slow living. We love it. Guard it. Dedicate it to the God who is not
bound by time Himself. The Creator, He spends time freely, knowing exactly how he intends to use it, use us.
"With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
2 Peter 3:8
Yes, God uses time...and so do we...thoughtfully.
We want to make the best use of our time and for us that equals slow living,
which in turn means knowing how to say no in a sandpapery yes-Martha-world.
It's best not to feel guilty about this, but rather, own the goal.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:15-16
So we pray, play, worship, read, learn, work, rest, invest, cook, bake, eat, build, grow, ponder, create, LOVE together in our days.
We make messes, clean up messes, make mistakes, work to fix mistakes, sin, repent, forgive, repeat. We wear clothes, wash clothes,
take road trips on the fly. We offer hugs, receive hugs, find ourselves sitting on the floor. And so the list goes on and on as we strive to train our children, as we delight in enjoying time with our children and the Lord. We don't just want to prepare them, we also want to know them and we hope to do what God's asked of us...well. So, we do what we do slooowly, hold onto our priorities tight.
I can't imagine life any other way, walking alongside each other in this cherished season that we're in.
It's true that our little life may not be "simple" in the sense that we twirl many plates at all times, shepherding hearts and laboring for eternal souls. But in actuality our life really is just that...simple. Even so, we desire to take it down yet another notch when the Lord deems it's His time. We pray for a home environment and lifestyle accompaniment that will foster all the more the qualities that He's laid heavily upon our hearts as we raise up our children for His glory. 'Till then, we'll be taking things slowly right here, investing in matters of God's kingdom and His heart, their hearts, our hearts, other hearts outside our walls. One day at a time from early sunrise to sunset then sleep and all the beauty that transpires in between, we define our time and shield intently this ministry enveloped in slow living.
"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
Romans 12:13
I used to pray for a "house that absorbs guests", words I had read in an article well over a decade ago now (maybe even 10 children less). They were words that stuck firm in my mind and here we are today. We pray that our home might have a sense of refuge, that it/we might offer a soft place to land, a place to fill a cup, a safe retreat from the pressure cooker outside. This is how we experience and commune with the Lord and it's how we offer Him to minister through us, both for our nuclear family as well as for those who stop in.
Yet, we're well aware that if we're to have something of value worth offering our guests,
we'll need to have walked slowly through the interim. We'll need to have been with Jesus.
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men,
they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."
Acts 4:13
Indeed, we enjoy open doors with people wafting through as readily as the breezes. But such days are scattered amongst the slow.
We're cautiously protective of God's intentional tool in our lives...Time. We need it. We prioritize it...makes me think of Mary.
"Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, 'Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.' But the Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.
Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.'"
Luke 10:38-42
It's a tall order, this life of family discipleship. We take our role in our children's lives seriously. We intentionally invest our time. And though much of our time is spent usefully, purposely industrious, we likewise purpose nothingness, available for the unknowns of a day.
We set aside our time for the being together that equals slow living. We love it. Guard it. Dedicate it to the God who is not
bound by time Himself. The Creator, He spends time freely, knowing exactly how he intends to use it, use us.
"With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
2 Peter 3:8
Yes, God uses time...and so do we...thoughtfully.
We want to make the best use of our time and for us that equals slow living,
which in turn means knowing how to say no in a sandpapery yes-Martha-world.
It's best not to feel guilty about this, but rather, own the goal.
"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise,
making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."
Ephesians 5:15-16
So we pray, play, worship, read, learn, work, rest, invest, cook, bake, eat, build, grow, ponder, create, LOVE together in our days.
We make messes, clean up messes, make mistakes, work to fix mistakes, sin, repent, forgive, repeat. We wear clothes, wash clothes,
take road trips on the fly. We offer hugs, receive hugs, find ourselves sitting on the floor. And so the list goes on and on as we strive to train our children, as we delight in enjoying time with our children and the Lord. We don't just want to prepare them, we also want to know them and we hope to do what God's asked of us...well. So, we do what we do slooowly, hold onto our priorities tight.
I can't imagine life any other way, walking alongside each other in this cherished season that we're in.
It's true that our little life may not be "simple" in the sense that we twirl many plates at all times, shepherding hearts and laboring for eternal souls. But in actuality our life really is just that...simple. Even so, we desire to take it down yet another notch when the Lord deems it's His time. We pray for a home environment and lifestyle accompaniment that will foster all the more the qualities that He's laid heavily upon our hearts as we raise up our children for His glory. 'Till then, we'll be taking things slowly right here, investing in matters of God's kingdom and His heart, their hearts, our hearts, other hearts outside our walls. One day at a time from early sunrise to sunset then sleep and all the beauty that transpires in between, we define our time and shield intently this ministry enveloped in slow living.
"Aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you."
1 Thessalonians 4:12
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me,
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30
