Just Moms

Some of us dream and long for quiet time. Some of us dread the time that we have alone. And some of us can live with or without that time of solitude.

But quiet time is not always “voluntary”. Nor is it always what God wants.

**Quiet time on our own terms.**

Picture this: (Now I sound like Sophia from the Golden Girls!) You plan a lunch for women from your neighborhood. You thought it would be a great way to get to know people. So you prepare the food, prepare the house, get rid of the kids, etc… And then you wait for the first person to arrive. Well, 12:00 comes and goes without a ring of the doorbell. 12:30 passes by without a knock at the door. You look out the window dozens of times. Finally at 1:00 it hits you – no one is coming. “But what about everyone who said they’d be here? They seemed to excited!” Reality sets in. They aren’t coming. “But you had alone time” someone might say to you. And that’s exactly what it was – ALONE time. Feeling alone. Being alone. Crying alone. You were ALONE.

I’m the type of person who only enjoys quiet time “on my own terms”. I don’t enjoy quiet time when it’s forced on me, like in the above example. When I am by myself (not because of my own choosing) I feel alone and abandoned. I didn’t “plan” on being alone. And therefore I didn’t “plan” on enjoying that alone time.

**Quiet on the set!**

Scenario #2: Since I homeschool, I’m with my children ALL THE TIME. And I know most homeschooling Moms will agree with me on this one – it can get quite exhausting at times! I love being with my children. And I do enjoy having them with me while I grocery shop… while I run to the mall… when I go to the dr, etc… However, when they are always with me, it makes it hard to have that quiet time that I need. That time to refresh and renew myself.

When I do get my time alone (on my own terms), I do enjoy it. I enjoy being able to do what I want… think what I want… feel what I want… go where I want… It’s “me” time!

But here is the question that I often ask myself…

Does God WANT me to have “quiet” time right now?

Each Saturday my husband takes the kids to chess club. So I get a few hours by myself. And I do enjoy it. However, a few months ago I felt God speaking to me about my quiet time. I felt that He was leading me to take my “quiet” time to another level. So I responded. Now, each Saturday when I have those few hours to myself, I try to spend them WITH someone else. (doesn’t make sense huh?) I have started inviting a friend (or even someone who is just a close acquaintance) to go out for lunch. And ya know what? Since I’ve been doing this, my “Saturday quiet time” has been much more refreshing than before!

When we feel the need for quiet time, let’s ask ourselves these questions:

Does God want me to be quiet with Him?

Does God want me to be quiet with someone else?

Does God want me to quietly be alone?

Does God want me to give up my quiet time to do something else?

Quiet time comes in so many forms. But let us make sure that it’s purpose is being carried out – to draw us closer to God! To refresh us. To restore us. This can be done solely with God. It can be done with a friend. It can be done while you are alone. It can be done while you are shopping. It can be done in so many ways… but we must ask God what way HE wants it carried out.

So…. BE QUIET!!!