
When former rhythms stop working (for whatever reason), I’ve learned that I need to replace them. Otherwise I fairly consistently just abandon whatever I’d been formerly doing. Rhythms are great because then when we miss a day (or three), we can just pick up where we left off. No guilt, no shame. We’ve tried a lot of different things, but here are a few of the rhythms our family has settled into for this season:
1. As many mornings as we can, depending on our various schedules and locations, we get together and/or FaceTime and read the day’s Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals, by Wilson-Hartgrove & Claiborne.
2. Before our evening meal, we pray, but not always in the same way:
Saturday // Sabbath question
(A different question every week, usually something one of us read or thought about during the week between. Always very simple and with no agenda: the goal is to ask and discuss the question, not land on an answer. Examples: “God is Love. What does that mean?” or “Why are we here in the first place?” Simple enough for young children; humble enough for adults.)
Sunday // read or recite the Beatitudes together (Matthew 5:3-12)
Monday // listen to a piece of classical music from the book Year of Wonder: Classical Music to Enjoy Every Day by Clemency Burton-Hill
Tuesday // New City Catechism, the first 8
Wednesday // read aloud Ephesians 2:1-13 in The Message
Thursday // say one thing you’re thankful for, and – if you want – something you need help with
(Occasional “pass”es are acceptable; sometimes you’ve just had a really hard day and silence is your best way of being grateful.)
Friday // sing the Doxology
“Praise God from whom all things flow / Praise him all creatures here below / Praise him above ye heavenly hosts / Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost / Amen”
3. On Saturday or Sunday, usually right before the sun goes down, whoever is up for it goes on a walk together. I almost always have mints in my pocket to keep whiney people (me!) walking just a little bit longer. Roller skates allowed. Some of our best chats, ideas, dreams come from these casual times together.
What are your weekly, daily rhythms?? Please share; we’d love to hear them.