I have been in my room all day, trying to rest and recover from a minor illness. At first I felt rather lazy, but I knew that my body needed rest to repair and heal, so I stayed under the covers as long as my children would let me -- which was not very long. One by one they would parade into my room or hover outside the doorway, always full of questions, things to show me, siblings to tattle on, etc. It really amazes me sometimes that they need me so much. I mean -- of course I know my children need me...But it is sometimes rare in the profession of motherhood that the fruits of our loving labors are on full exhibit until the children are grown and gone.

So as I discovered that rest and refreshment - which are still desperately needed - were going to elude me, I sat up and started working on little things that were not too time-consuming but could be set aside when one of the children needed me. I worked on a cross-stitch project that I would like to complete for my mother-in-law for Christmas, perused some cookbooks and planned some menus, started to envision my herb and vegetable gardens and plan for a flower garden as well...things that were productive but that could easily be set aside for a minute or for a stretch of minutes and then resumed without too much complication. When the children were eating lunch, I took a cat-nap and then woke and started reading a book and planning assignments. Once they were finished with their meal and snack and had played on their own a little, I heard little footsteps - or sometimes big ones if they were playing an overly imaginative game - creeping up the stairs and readied myself to spend time with them. Even though we really didn't "do" anything, I found that they just needed some individual attention, time to talk and tell me what was important. It was time so well spent.

Sometimes in the busy-ness of overly scheduled days - or in the regular routines of life like meal preparation, house keeping and homeschooling - I suppose there are days when I do not take the time to meet with each child individually except during night prayers. I am reminded that even Our Heavenly Father took the seventh day to rest, and I often find myself wondering what He did on that day -- Did He spend it just leisurely walking through the garden with Adam and Eve, enjoying His children and His creation?

In today's world so many people do not remember to reserve that "day of rest", and it can be so refreshing -- not only to one's own soul, but also to those important people in one's life. I know that even though I was somewhat forced to rest in a spirit of trying to recover, it really helped me to discover the hearts of my children a little more than I would have had our schedules been filled with their normal busy-ness. Although part of me wishes I had gotten more rest (ie, actual sleep!) to fight off the remainder of my cold, and wishes that the house had been a little (okay - a LOT) quieter so that my headache would have receded...I really was thankful that God used what could have been a bad situation for good - for time for me to work in the hearts of my children by being open to sitting and spending more time with them without the normal, usual schedule. I am so glad I was observant enough to realize that they were wanting more time with me than I may have otherwise given. Well -- I think that they enjoyed being able to just play all day rather than work too!

I will need to remember this lesson in the future, so that I carve out more time to spend with the family. I don't mean to suggest that I am never with my children, but all of us seem to be so "busy" with life, and sometimes I don't focus on each of them as I should. Each of my precious little ones will not be "little" forever, and it is simply irresponsible of me to waste these little opportunities to really get to know each of them more, know what is on their minds and in their hearts. It is only by spending time with our children - and by that, I don't mean just being in the room with them as much as I mean really sitting down and talking with them - that we can cultivate their hearts and minds for God.