22 He moved on from there and dug another well, and no one quarreled over it. He named it Rehoboth, saying, “Now the LORD has given us room and we will flourish in the land.”
When the fights finally stop, and peace and quiet comes, what a relief. Enjoy the moments of silence and low activity. Every parent knows this feeling. When the kids finally get involved in some activity and you can kick your feet up for a few moments of quiet and peaceful reflection, what a great few moments. All too often those moments are wasted on a non-fruitful activity. Rest and refreshment are positive activities. May I suggest that you take it one step further. Next time you have those few moments, get in the habit of picking up your copy of the Scriptures and read. Just pick up where you left off the last time. If you don’t know where to start, try the Gospel of John. Then move through the rest of the New Testament. Once you get established in a pattern, add a Psalm to the mix each time. And some advice, it is OK to tell your kids to leave you alone for a few minutes so that you can get refreshed. Healthy boundaries are part of life. Your kids can learn this lesson. Almost any kid over the age of three will not die if they must entertain themselves for five extra minutes. If they keep bugging you, and you give in and provide them entertainment, you just taught them that you must entertain them. You taught them that they can’t live without constant activity. Don’t feed the activity monster and it will die. Kids will learn to entertain themselves if you give them space. Just like you need space, they need space. You need space to rest and get refreshed, they need space to grow and develop their independence and self-directed activities. So next time you get a moment of time, take it. Invest it in eternity. Get into the Scriptures. And don’t be afraid to let your kids be uncomfortable with inactivity. It will do them a world of good.
The Arnold Journey 