If you’ve been following along, you know that our family is spending this year intentionally following the Church Calendar. We are trying to create family rhythms that help us remember and take part in the story of God. Each Saturday, I will be taking you along this journey with us as I reflect on the things that our family is learning in each season.
We are currently in the season of Epiphany. Epiphany began on January 6 with the Feast of Epiphany and ends on Fat Tuesday, which is on February 13 this year. This season is a season of proclamation. In the book, Sacred Seasons, Danielle Hitchen introduces Epiphany as a season both of “inward proclamation” and “outward proclamation.” During Epiphany, we intentionally turn our focus to personal spiritual disciplines (“inward proclamation”) and proclaiming to others what we learned during Advent and Christmas – that God is with us!
During this season, I am reflecting on my own personal disciplines and trying to establish renewed rhythms in my spiritual life. I am also focusing on proclaiming the Gospel to my kids and finding intentional time each day to share the story of God with them.
Our Epiphany Kick-Off
We have been living in the city of New Orleans for several years now, so we have unknowingly been celebrating this season for a while – for us, it is Mardi Gras!!! Each year on the Feast of Epiphany, we always have our first king cake of the season from our favorite local bakery. This year was no different, but we did add a few things to our Feast of Epiphany celebration!
To mark the beginning of Epiphany, we set aside time during our day to decorate our Mardi Gras tree together, eat our king cake, and do a liturgy together from Sacred Seasons. When we do the liturgies, we always light a candle to signal to Simeon that it is time to listen. We read Scripture, recounted the story of the Wise Men, prayed, and sang together. Once finished, we let Simeon blow out the candle and eat his king cake. We told him it was our little “Epiphany party!”
Epiphany Disciplines: Scripture Reading
Throughout this season, I am slowly trying to build spiritual rhythms. I think it is so helpful that this season of inward disciplines takes place at the beginning of a new year. I have focused the last couple of weeks on renewing my rhythms of Scripture reading.
I don’t know about you, but I find it almost impossible to get into the Word consistently when I have littles to take care of. I typically try to get that time in during morning playtime, but it is never without interruptions when a wild toddler is on the loose. There are many mornings that I have to stop and decide I will come back to it late. More often than not, I forget, and then a cycle of discouragement begins.
I am trying to learn to give myself grace in this season of life. I have committed to reading the Bible through this year but on a 5-day-a-week plan. This leaves room for days when it might just not happen. I also read one chapter of the reading plan during my morning “quiet time” (though that’s not really an appropriate name for it right now) and then listen to the rest as I have time throughout the day.
I want to be a woman who reads her Bible and knows her God. I want to be a mom whose kids see her prioritize Scripture consistently.
Some Final Thoughts
In each liturgy we read during Epiphany, we sing the Anglican hymn, “As With Gladness Men of Old.” I had not previously heard this hymn, but I have loved learning it. I especially love the fourth verse:
“Holy Jesus, every day
Keep us in the narrow way;
And, when earthly things are past,
Bring our ransomed lives at last
Where they need no star to guide,
Where no clouds Thy glory hide.”
As I am imperfectly building spiritual rhythms, I am asking Jesus to keep me on the path of knowing Him and loving Him. I am asking Him to lead my children toward that path and help me to teach them His ways. And I am pressing on until one day I will be with Him in glory and His glory will be the light.
Mamas, it may not look quiet or perfect or be at the same time each day, but we need the truth of God’s Word to guide us each and every day. May we build rhythms that help us to know God and love Him more, and may it change the way we mother and disciple our littles.