lessons from bedtime routine...

Every night before the kids go to bed we  brush teeth, get PJs on, read a story book, read a story out of "the Jesus book" (which is what my kids call the Children's Bible), and then tuck in, pray, and sing songs.  To be honest, there are some nights when I really don't look forward to this time.  There are just some days that the kids seem to bicker, and cry, and disobey...and spend more time in timeout than they spend out of timeout.  If you're a mom...I'm sure you can relate (and if not, I have a suspicion you are lying)!  On these days...the bedtime routine seems more like 20 more minutes that I must endure, than 20 minutes of quality time that I get to spend with my family at the end of the day.  But to be honest, even on those days I come away blessed.  And a few nights ago, the Lord used that time to speak directly to me.

I was having "one of THOSE days", so when Nathan came home from work I escaped the house for a few hours and went to Goodwill and Kohl's.  At Goodwill, I bought the kids some "new" books including a new kid's 365 day devotional book.  (We have after all read the entire "Jesus book" at least 3 or 4 times by now).  That night, I got home from my escape just in time for bedtime routine.  And when it came time for the devotional book I turned to the devotional for July 14 and read the passage to the kids.  After I read it, I summarized it for them, "Kids what this is teaching us is that when our friends move away, or when we move away from our friends we shouldn't let that make us sad all the time.  We should talk to Jesus about it and he will take away our sadness and fill us with his JOY."  

Don't you love the ways God chooses to speak sometimes...that sometimes when we just aren't listening or obeying...and maybe he's having "one of THOSE days, or weeks, or months" with us that he'll come to bedtime routine and take the time to remind us of his love for us and remind us that it is in Him that we find our joy?