30 day challenge

I LOVE being a mommy. I LOVE going to bed at night and smiling about the funny conversations or the sweet memories from the day. Being a mother blesses me and refines me in a way that I could have never imagined before having children. I am challenged daily as I work to train, discipline, and disciple our babies. There is never a dull moment and I wouldn't want it any other way! wink! All that being said...

I need to confess, that I am terrible at stopping our daily routine to play with my children. I know, isn't that awful? It makes me kinda sad to write this, but I want to be held accountable and the Lord has been burdening my heart to challenge myself in this area. Here is the problem: I am a multi-tasker (and many days this is quite necessary to complete my responsibilities) but this skill can also be a stumbling block. Too often, I spend time with our children simply by being in the same room while they are playing; I'm busy unloading the dishwasher, checking my email for church, folding laundry, etc. I'm not helping to build with the legos but instead I'm cheering about the latest creation. I'm not hopping through the sprinkler, but I'm waving and watching from the window while I cook dinner.*sigh* This is the truth, friends. I stink at playing. Just call me Sarah Stinky McNeill. (Well, perhaps don't call me that in public.... ha ha!)

 I set aside time to pray and read  from the Bible with our children, and during our homeschooling year, it's no problem to carve out instructional time. But for some reason, I struggle to simply play with our children each day. Please don't get me wrong, I do color pictures, dance super silly in the living room, and chase them around the house as the tickle monster, but I don't just stop everything and play or pretend for thirty minutes each and every day. The 'busy' of life gets in the way and we're all missing out. Wubs turned 7 years old this week, and I know I've missed many opportunities over these short few years because I've been too 'busy'. I need to make a habit of stopping to play every day. Soooo, I am giving myself a challenge and I invite you to join me! Starting July 1, I am going to stop for (atleast) thirty minutes e.v.e.r.y day and PLAY! Nothing else, just play and pretend and make believe! I am going to blog about it too, because I have no doubt that the Lord will teach me a lot about our children during this time. It's my hope that if I stop and play every day for thirty days, it will become my new habit! If you also have a hard time stopping your daily routine to play, please join me! We can take the 30 minutes for 30 days challenge together!

"My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, Lord, I will seek."- Psalm 27:8