Quiet Hour

Our home is a fairly noisy place most days. Aside from the joyful noise of five energetic kids, my wonderful husband, Michael, has a voice that when fully engaged, has been known to carry. When he plays football in the yard with the boys, his voice beckons to kids three blocks away. They stream into the yard like a scene from Field of Dreams. (Love you baby!)

Sometimes, I'll sit and listen to the din of noise throughout our home and it makes my heart smile. I hear laughter, talk of sports, scenes from Harry Potter being acted out, wrestling, music, debates about the best way to eat Oreo's, and occasional nit-picking. I hear the sound of a candy bowl rattling or an old Superman watch beeping from the bottom of a drawer at the same time every day. Sometimes I crack up listening to the sound of "Mike" being tossed around the house. Mike is a pathetic looking baby doll that has been duct taped around one arm and one leg to hold him together. (Apparently this is what happens when four boys get a hold of a baby doll!) Needless to say, there are very few dull or quiet moments around our home.

I know that there will come a day when our children will leave, and I have a sense that the quiet will feel unnatural. But while they are all still swirling around us, we have taken it upon ourselves to plan time for quiet. Every school night we have "quiet hour" in our home from 7-8 PM. The kids are expected to do homework or read books. No television, computers (unless for homework), no iPods, XBOX, Wii, PSP's, DS's or any other form of electronic devices are allowed to be used. It is simply a time to be still and quiet. It has served our family in a variety of ways to have this planned time each day. It helps the kids keep grades up, hone the skill of reading and unwind before bed. These rather expected benefits of quiet hour have been wonderful, but the real blessings have been revealed through the unexpected benefits we receive.

We are all learning the value of rest. Not sleep, but rest. The noise and movement of life can be distracting. Taking a quiet break, even to focus on homework, helps the kids (and adults) reset. Rest is a critical (and Biblical) part of life's natural rhythm.

Immediately following quiet hour, I have noticed that the kids gather in the kitchen to have dessert. They talk and engage with one another. Maybe they're just happy to be finished with quiet hour, but I think there's more to it. I hope there will come a day when they appreciate the time we carved out for them to be still, and I hope they incorporate a "quiet hour" into their own lives.

It has taken me nearly two years to realize the benefits of quiet hour for myself. I once viewed it as a time to check email or do chores, but I have shifted into using this time to focus on God. I read, write or work on a Bible study. Sometimes I make a list of people to pray for and I spend some time adoring, confessing, thanking and asking our great God for his will and his mercy. I have come to look forward to sharing quiet hour with my family every day. There is much to be learned and heard in the stillness and silence.