Summer.
Sweet, Sweet Summer. Kids look at summer like sleeping in, pool days and NO SCHOOL.
What happens when the first four day’s of summer consisted of rain…RAIN, RAIN, RAIN!
It is now the first Monday of summer vacation and after 4 days of a lot of TV and no schedule, mama bear is about to put her good intentions to action.
Quiet time before TV time.
So, instead of waking up and turning on the tv I have given each of the children their own journal and Bible so that they can have their own quiet time with Jesus. They were to read a passage and then write in their journal. Since each of the kids are at different reading/writing levels their expectations all differ.
This morning we all woke up and made our way to the living room. Finley was already up watching Space Jam, and I quickly turned it off and said “Quiet time before TV time.” With a huff and a puff Finley whined, “School is done! Why do we have to read and write? Seriously?!” The holy mom that I am responded that what he “can learn from the Bible is more important than anything he can learn at school.” He didn’t like my response.
The girls made their way to their rooms and sat on their beds. Harper went to town and had two pages in her journal written and even a piece of art. Scout had come in and out of her room asking me how to spell words. I sat at the kitchen table with a halo over my head and thinking how awesome of a mom I am.
Then I walked into the other room and Finley was still sitting on the couch fully immersed under the covers. “Finley, I hope that you are reading under there.”
“Nope,” he answered boldly.
“Come on, Finley. Want me to read with you?”
“Fine.”
So, I had Finley come sit next to me as we read about Peter and how Jesus said that Peter would deny him three times. I asked him to open his journal and write five sentences. He then said “Mom, I HATE writing.” So, I let him use my laptop and told him that he could write his sentences on there. I walked away and could hear his little fingers pecking away.
Again, I gave myself a high five and a pat on the back. Way to go, Mom!
The girls came in and presented their work proudly. Well done, ladies, well done.
Then Finley said “done” and handed me the laptop. I quickly read what he’d written:
“Lebron james use to play on the miami heat. Stepehen curry likes to play golf. Allen Iverson used to play for the denver nuggets. Vince carter use to play for the mempis grizzles. Finley wants to be a point guard.”
The proud smile I just had turned to a furrowed brow of confusion.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five.
He was right; there were five sentences, but not one of them were about what we had read. I questioned him about the sentences. He responded simply that I didn’t specify what the sentences needed to be about. Sigh.
Was it that I wasn’t specific enough, or he was reading because he had to and not because he wanted to?
Isn’t it the same with us when it comes to our quiet times? Sometimes it’s just checking off the “quiet time box.” We all can be like Finley and read God’s Word but then fail to think about what we’ve read. Reading without meditation doesn’t allow it to go deep.
Challenge yourself this summer to write four sentences about what you’ve read in scripture and one in which you think about what you want to apply or remember as a result. Just so you’re clear – that is FIVE sentences all together about what you’ve read in scripture and how you can apply it. 😉
Oh, and one thing that Finley did get right in his sentences was that he is a great point guard with some mad ball handling skills.