At the end of December I began a journey to read the Bible through in a year. I can’t believe I waited until 28 to do this for the first time, but here we are.
I rearranged our living room again around that same time— right after we pulled down our Christmas tree, in the week before the new year. I pulled my favorite chair into the best morning-time winter light in our house.
(Here you can see the light that makes my heart sing)
It seems silly that something as simple as changing the arrangement of our furniture would make my days so happy, but the arrangement has given me extra space (on the windowsill behind me) for the books I’m reading, my letter writing box, and that leaves room on my side table for a coffee, water, and whatever the boys want to show me. (I love that this gives my Bible a home— I don’t ever have try to remember where I had it last. Less thinking, more reading.)
The configuration has worked so well that I find myself going to bed excited to wake up the next morning and enjoy coffee in my spot.
Our post-breakfast routine that’s working well recently:
Eliot opens our morning time with prayer and then I follow. I love when he prays, I like to follow so he continues to hear how to pray. (Right now his prayers are only giving God updates on what’s going on.)
Eliot picked out this book from our church bookshop for his birthday and we started reading it together several days ago. It’s a small chapter book and I wish I could give a copy to all my friends with kids! The elevens chapters are only about two pages long each with beautiful illustrations and discussion questions to guide conversation and engage the children at the end of each chapter.
After we read, we practice our scripture recitation. Currently:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly!
(With big hand motions, of course! Because, fun!)
And then we practice our catechisms. It wasn’t on purpose, really, but we have learned a little of the Westminster shorter catechisms and some of the New City catechisms. I love that both are on Spotify to listen to & sing along with!
I have a copy of the (tiny kids version) New City Catechisms book we’re working through front to back so we have order to what we’re learning. (And I just found out: they have a free app!)
I feel like typing it out makes it sound more formal and lengthy than it all is. Our morning time is casual, upbeat, fun, and short! Probably 10-15 minutes!? We finish it before the boys can become tired of it. (They’re still only 3 months, 1, and 3! 😂)
That’s all for our morning rhythm right now✨ Then it’s back to play for the boys while I do my Bible time! We replaced our coffee table with a train table so they play in front of me while I listen to & read the Bible.
I know the details will always be changing, but I pray we continue to have a morning time of worship together until these little boys become men and leave our home.