How's a mama to fit in her quiet time?

I am a wife and a mommy of three little ones. The realistic time for me to have a quiet time is any time between 5:30am and 6:30am. However, my kids are still small enough that it is not uncommon for me to get up three to four times a night. Soooo...let's be realistic...if I have gotten up three to five times a night I'm probably going to sleep in a bit longer that day. Nights don't work very well because that is usually my time with Mark or we have other things going on, by the time I put the kids to bed I'm usually too tired to keep my eyes open to read anyways.

So, what's a tired and busy mama to do? I have found writing scripture and posting them on my kitchen cabinet to be helpful in many ways. While I am chopping, dicing, spreading peanut butter on bread, washing dishes, and lots of other ing things. I read, mediatate, and pray about the verses I have posted. Some scripture is for someone or something speific the Lord is teaching me in my life or in the life of someone else, other verses are ones that bring encouragement and perseverance to my day.

Yes, having a quiet time alone with the Lord is important and nessaccary. John 15:5 says, "I am the vine you are the branches, he who abides in me and I in him will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing." Spending time everyday with the Lord is important but it's also wonderful to know that we have a God who understands busy, tired mama's.

Just as I have brought scripture into the kitchen, I have brought prayer into my everyday routines. Dusting, vaccuming, doing dishes, laundry, these are all great times to spend in prayer. If I am doing Mark and I's laundry I will pray for our marriage, I will pray for Mark at work, I will pray for something we are struggling with. If I'm doing the kids laundry, I will pray for character traits we are trying to teach.

Another great idea is to get your kids involved in your scripture reading. After we have breakfast we have bible time. We read the scripture, sometimes we have read the same scripture all week but each day we read a different bible version. We also have had weeks were we all work to memorize the same scripture and pray about the verse becoming more real in our lives.

Being a busy, tired mama doesn't mean quiet time has to dissappear, it just means we have to get creative incorporating it into our day. I do know that when I have had my time with the Lord I am able to give more and love more. When we are connected to "the vine", we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).