February 21, 2025 • 29 mins
Practicing The Way Book (affiliate link)
Rule of Life builder website
Psalms in 30 days Book (affiliate link)
Dwell App
Family devotions serve as both a source of laughter and a foundation for spiritual growth in our household of six kids. We share the humorous moments, the chaos, and the importance of creating a rule of life that prioritizes intentional living and meaningful connections during our family time.
• The hilarity of navigating sensitive topics during devotions
• Introducing the concept of a rule of life for intentional living
• Importance of dedicating time for family devotions every morning
• Kids affirming each other's character traits reflecting God’s attributes
• Implementing a weekly screen-free day to balance family activities
• A touching story about trusting God during a hurricane
• Embracing the messiness of family life while fostering spiritual growth
Your Listening to our 1 blessed mess, with ben and liz
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Liz (00:07):
All right, welcome to our one blessed mess.
This is Ben and Liz, and we'rehere telling our story of
raising six kids that we had ineight years, managing our
entrepreneurial home with twobusinesses plus homeschooling,
and currently raising how manyteenagers been, how many four
teenagers?
Four, about to be five about tobe five plus seven chickens and
(00:28):
two dogs, just to keep thingsinteresting.
But today's conversation isabout what?
Ben (00:35):
today's topic is family devotions and just in also like
the broader topic of a rule oflife.
So specifically familydevotions, but also as it
relates to this topic of a ruleof life, so specifically family
devotions, but also as itrelates to this concept of a
rule of life, and you know we'regoing to share some fun stories
about just the craziness thathappens when we do family
(00:55):
devotions with a large family.
Liz (00:56):
I think I know which one you're thinking of.
Right this second.
Ben (01:00):
Oh, an actual story.
Liz (01:01):
Yes, I do.
Ben (01:02):
Like a story from family devotions.
Liz (01:04):
Well, yeah, I mean, we've got some funny stories.
Ben (01:06):
There's a few yeah.
Liz (01:09):
I think I know which one you're thinking of.
Ben (01:11):
Which one?
Liz (01:11):
I think the one about sex, ed and devotions.
Ben (01:15):
That is a little crazy.
You might not have heard itright.
That was sex ed in our FamilyDevotions.
Liz (01:23):
Yeah, that was.
How do we even begin to tellthis story?
Ben (01:27):
Well, I think maybe you lay a little context.
You weren't there so you kindof get to escape the blame for
that one.
Liz (01:34):
Right, I was totally gone because I took our youngest to
school somewhere.
I don't know what happened, butI was one of the youngest.
Ben (01:42):
It was one of them.
Liz (01:43):
One of the kids, one of the six pack.
I took them somewhere and whenI came back, our oldest daughter
came running out to the car allin a hissy.
She got in the car, shut thedoor shut and she was like Mom,
I have to tell you something.
I'm like, what I mean?
I haven't even, I haven't eventurned off the car yet.
She's like mom, dad, he justsaid something that he should
(02:05):
have never said.
Thinking what did your fathersay?
I don't even know.
I can't even get this out of mymouth.
I can't even believe we'retalking about this.
I don't know if I can recordthis.
Ben (02:16):
Well, maybe it'd be helpful if I told the story.
Maybe, so because this part Ijust I can't.
I so let's set a little context, as as they said, or as they
said, she wasn't there.
Right, it was just me with thekids and we do family devotions
in the morning pretty regularly.
Liz (02:34):
When you know we've had some seasons on and off.
We're not perfect, we're notperfect in it and I mean, let's
face it, we're a family, so yeah, perfect.
Ever things change.
But we've.
Ben (02:44):
We've always tried to kind of continue to come back to
family devotions.
So this particular day Liz wasout uh had the rest of the kids
and typically how it goes islike I'll read from a devotional
or we'll listen to a devotional, or maybe we'll even like pull
up some Bible project videos.
Liz (03:00):
Oh yeah, those are the best the Bible project videos.
I get so so much out of those.
Yeah, really I love them justfor myself.
Ben (03:06):
But uh, really well done um .
So anyways, we did one of thoseand the topic of uh, children
came up like who asked thequestion?
Well it was.
I think it was our youngestokay, so he was there, yeah and
he was.
He was just kind of noodling onthis concept of children and
like how they were a blessingand he was like where?
(03:29):
where do children come from?
I think is what he asked, andimmediately some of the older
kids kind of shot a look at melike don't, don't do that, Don't
answer that question.
Liz (03:41):
Because they know their dad , they know their dad, they know
their dad is not going to leavethat question hanging.
So what did you say?
Because he was younger.
Well, I mean here's myphilosophy.
Ben (03:51):
It's like if you're going to ask that question, I would
rather be the one to answer itInstead of no, I get it.
Liz (04:00):
Some uncontrolled circumstance.
I'm on the same page as you.
Right, I get it, I get it.
So I was getting jazzed.
I was like, all right, here'smy opportunity we get to At the
family devotions with everybodythere, of course, naturally.
Ben (04:10):
Yeah, except for you and one other person.
Liz (04:11):
But anyways, whoever it was , we don't even remember.
Yeah, we don't remember, butanyways.
Ben (04:14):
so I'm like rearing to a younger child.
So, like you know, I'm thinkingokay, how do I relate this?
I don't really know how old hewas.
He was probably like maybe fouror five.
Liz (04:33):
I don't know, but what you said you need to get to the
punchline you need to get tothis part of the story so
basically, it's awkward to sayit, it is yeah.
I'm dragging my feet.
Ben (04:50):
I don't know what's awkward , gosh, dang it.
Now we're talking about it.
You better say it.
People want to know.
Basically, I turned to him andI said, well, oh my gosh,
there's I can't even get it outthere's, there's the this hole
and a pokey thing.
Oh my gosh, and it.
And it was doomed right fromthe beginning oh my gosh, my
kids just started laughing theolder ones just were like what
the heck Blaze?
Our oldest was not happy.
Our oldest was like dad.
Liz (05:09):
Justice.
She's Miss Justice.
So as soon as I pulled up shewas hot Mom.
Then I said he said what shegoes?
He just said that I was like ohno, so of course I get out of
the car going.
I'm like babe, really, he'slike.
He asked, I'm like, but you hadto say it, right then?
Ben (05:30):
So that was how not to do sex ed and family devotions
because it fell really flat, butanyways it was hilarious.
We laugh about it quitefrequently actually as a family,
because I'm basically notallowed to do sex ed anymore no,
not in that context.
Liz (05:46):
No, no, no but we I mean honestly, we love family
devotions we do we try to do itmost mornings.
Ben (05:52):
Um, yeah, it's a really great thing.
Uh, I know it takes time andobviously we have to get on the
same page right and the sameschedule right um, but that's
kind of what I want to talkabout in the general context of,
like, what is a rule of life.
And so maybe you've not heardof that concept before.
We heard of it through thisbook called Practicing the Way
Yep Great book by John MarkComer.
Liz (06:15):
Great book.
Ben (06:16):
And yeah, super good book on discipleship, Not bark book.
Liz (06:21):
That is not going to be in the family devotions either.
Hopefully, not Maybe the dogdevotions who knows, but not the
family devotions.
Ben (06:28):
Oh my gosh, anyways.
So this book talks about theconcept of a rule of life, and
the first we hear about the ruleof life is from monastic
Christian communities around thefourth century, and essentially
it's just a way to guide andshape your life.
Liz (06:45):
Right, wait, were the monks , the ones that kind of had like
a skull?
Ben (06:51):
Oh yeah, I mean that was another thing about it from the
book is like John Mark talksabout some of the early monks
who were practicing this likerule of life concept and some of
them would keep a skull attheir desk at the work desk but
why though?
Sounds a little morbid, rightactually I'm thinking like did
(07:11):
they celebrate halloween?
Liz (07:13):
no, I mean isn't that, like merlin that had right?
Ben (07:18):
no, you wait, you mean the wizard.
Liz (07:21):
I guess he wasn't a monk, never mind Delete that.
Ben (07:24):
Yeah well, I don't know, Maybe there is a Merlin that's a
monk, but not that I remember,no, no, no, I'm thinking of the
wrong thing.
So they would keep these humanskulls at their desk to remind
them that life is short.
Liz (07:36):
Right and that they shouldn't squander their time.
Ben (07:39):
Instead, they should rule over their life.
Liz (07:42):
That's actually really good , you guys over their life.
That's actually really good,you guys, that's so good.
Ben (07:49):
It sounds a little extreme, but I kind of like that concept
of just having something so inyour face every day, like, hey,
we have a short time on thisearth, we do.
Liz (07:55):
I think that's the part that's like Don't squander your
time, yeah, I think that's thething that's hitting my heart
and that's why we do familydevotions, because, as we're
raising a family, we mean wehave, you know, emerging adults
and they're talking about movingout and, you know, going off to
college and and all thesedifferent endeavors that they
want to pursue.
But you know, we know that weonly have so much time, so in
(08:16):
our home, we want to, we want toset, we want to set the tone
and teach them how to do it.
Let's be clear, right, yeah?
Ben (08:23):
Yeah, so that was one of the things that we knew when we
were planning our rule of lifeas a family.
We knew that devotions wasgoing to be, like, probably the
first thing that we did in themornings.
So the rule of life, again,it's the concept of kind of
taking the reins of your lifeand not just being reactive.
Liz (08:42):
Right, that's good.
Ben (08:43):
And so I think that's the biggest thing.
It's not necessarily just likea bunch of rules and like a lot
of don'ts, it's more about do's.
Right, so it's you know, it'slike not what you don't want to
have happen, it's what you dowant to have happen.
So that's the most importantthing.
It's like trying to take thereins of your life, not just
(09:05):
give it to whatever's the nextmost urgent thing, right so?
that concept's like called thetyranny of the urgent.
We don't want to live that way.
We don't want to live like justfor the next emergency.
Right, we want to start shapingour lives and pointing it in
the right direction, based onwhat we think, what we value.
Liz (09:24):
Right, so Isn't that something that you do in
programming too?
Ben (09:28):
Well, yeah, I mean.
So there's this concept of likereactive programming and things
like that, and so you know it'sreacting to things is good from
a programming standpoint, butwe don't want to be reactive
with our time.
Liz (09:42):
We want to be proactive.
We want to be proactive, yeah,yeah, because, yeah, because
you're sowing into your future.
Ben (09:47):
You are and like I've heard it kind of said, you know, like
you don't want to transact inopportunities.
Right, right, that's good youwant to make sure that you are
setting the course of your life,not giving up, just based on
you know, on what the most crazyemergency is at any given time.
Right Because if you're allowingthings to take your time away,
(10:11):
then you're transacting inopportunities that you could be
having at that moment, right.
So that's kind of the idea islike you don't want to just be
unruled, you want to have a ruleof life.
Liz (10:22):
Right yeah, so you were giving Ethan a rule of life that
Well, I gave him a lot morethan that.
Ben (10:28):
You gave him an epiphany.
Liz (10:30):
Oh boy, yeah, Poor guy.
Ben (10:32):
So, but anyways, if you're interested in learning a little
bit more about that concept, wehighly recommend John Mark's
book.
Liz (10:37):
Practicing the.
Ben (10:38):
Way, and then you can also look up practicingthewayorg
that's the website of his bookand he's got a rule of life
builder, which is pretty cool.
So you can actually go on thereand pull out some different
things to build your rule oflife and just based on your
interests and things like that,you can kind of set a schedule.
(10:59):
So it's pretty cool.
Liz (11:00):
I didn't even know you could do that.
So can you do that individuallyand for like a family?
I believe so, yeah.
Ben (11:05):
I think it's more specific to individuals, but that's the
other thing too is like you wantto find other like-minded
people who will be able to joinyou in this rule of life idea.
Liz (11:16):
Okay.
Ben (11:16):
And then it's much easier to keep each other accountable
when you do it in a community.
So just like we're doing as afamily, just like we have some
things, like you know.
We want to start out themorning with devotions.
We want to set aside a day ofthe week where we're not doing
screens.
Liz (11:30):
Yes, when do we do that?
So that's Sundays, we doSundays.
Ben (11:33):
Yeah, we make sure that we just have kind of a screen free
day there, and then also we'relimiting the amount of time that
we're on screens throughout theweek.
We're making sure that our kidsare into creative endeavors.
That's another big thing thatwe are interested in personally
as a family.
Yes, we are.
So, yeah, it's just.
I mean, it's like a wholedifferent way of thinking about
(11:54):
the time that you have, insteadof just kind of giving yourself
over to, I don't know, maybejust binge watching certain
things or just playing videogames without any kind of end in
sight.
Instead we're kind of takingback the time and trying to make
it work for us, not just beingreactive.
Liz (12:13):
Well, and I think, as parents, we know that our time
is limited.
We only have so many years andyou only have so many years
within their different seasonsof these kids as well.
So they're all in differentstages and so having the rule of
life even for each child asyou're looking at their
uniqueness and gifting andtalents, you know.
I mean it's just good.
(12:34):
I think overall, what you'resaying is is brilliant.
I love it.
Ben (12:37):
I love it.
Yeah, so glad we're doing it,yeah, anyway.
So if there's if you guys wantto learn a little bit more about
that, we'll put the links inthe.
If you guys want to learn alittle bit more about that,
we'll put the links in the shownotes and so you'll be able to
check those out.
But we want to talk aboutanother story that we had during
devotions.
But this is really cool.
I don't think there's going tobe like a hilarity story.
Maybe there is.
Liz (12:54):
I don't know which one is it.
Ben (12:56):
Well, it's when we were going around and like
recognizing each kid and howthey are able to display the
character of the Lord.
Liz (13:04):
Yes.
Ben (13:05):
And we did that, so we did this.
I don't know, this was probablylast year, and what we did we
just felt kind of impressed todo this one morning is that we
took turns with each kid and wewent around as a family and
called out the characterattributes of God that that kid
we felt like they exemplified.
Liz (13:26):
So that was really cool and it was actually really fun
because we've got some veryintroverted children in our
family and those ones actuallyhad the coolest things to say
about their siblings and when itwas their time they ate it up.
They did Ate it up.
Ben (13:45):
They did and it was really neat to see how, like when we
were telling them, like what wesaw in their character, that we
felt like, reminded us of God'scharacter, like so, for instance
, you know our oldest, we we sawlike how he was very
responsible, yes, and how hefelt the need to uh be
(14:05):
compassionate with some of hisyounger siblings and we were
just like, yeah, we've you know,and even like protecting them
and how we felt like that that'show the lord, kind of you know,
is with.
He protects us and he'scompassionate towards us, and so
we were saying that towards himand we just saw like the
biggest smile come over his face.
Liz (14:25):
Yeah, it was real sweet.
Yeah, yeah, it was really cool.
And there were some otherthings with different ones, and
the kids saying it to each otherwas really cool.
Now we we do something likethat for their birthdays.
When somebody's in our, it'stheir birthday in our home,
everybody will go around thetable and say what they love
about the individual.
But for us to take time, andthis was like on a Saturday,
this wasn't like during theweekday because it took a while.
Ben (14:46):
It took about an hour.
Liz (14:47):
Yeah, to get through it.
Well, plus, we have a ginormousfamily.
Ben (14:50):
So of course it's going to take a time.
Liz (14:51):
But when we do birthdays it's just that birthday person.
So that day everybody just feltbetter.
They were smiling and typicallyyou know our devotions I'm just
thinking about the length oftime to be practical are not
that long, you know we'll dolike maybe 10, 15 minutes.
Ben (15:07):
Well, we kind of keep it open-ended on some of our
devotions, right Like sometimeswe'll have something that is
very specific and then thatmight start generating questions
that the kids have about aspecific topic.
Liz (15:19):
So especially as they're getting older.
I mean, they're asking reallygood questions and they're part
of the.
There's a conversation and andI just want to say for those who
have younger ones, you knowthere are lots of little
children devotionals out there,but when they were little, I
mean we would, we would pull outcrayons and paper and they
would color, because we havedifferent ages, you know we'd
(15:40):
have like teenagers, you knowbudding teenagers, and then like
a four year old, you knowthey're not going to, they don't
care about what we're talkingabout, and so we try to make it
friendly for everybody.
And and also I'm just thinkingto like the, the Bible projects
have been good because they'renot that long and usually all
the ages are enjoying them.
So it looks messy you guys thatlong and usually all the ages
(16:00):
are enjoying them, so it looksmessy you guys too.
Especially we have littles likedon't think it's going to be
like this big, wonderful, yay,it's like.
Okay, they're fighting, theyjust started biting, which makes
me think of another time thatwe had the hurricane coming when
we had a devotion we had a.
We live near the coast and so ahurricane was coming and uh, I'm
just saying this because we gotup early in the morning to
(16:21):
check the weather and to see andto make a decision if we needed
to evacuate or not.
Ben (16:26):
Right, right, you remember which hurricane that was?
Uh-uh, I don't remember.
There's been so many, I don'tremember.
Liz (16:30):
Yeah, but it was a bad one.
It was a really bad one.
Ben (16:33):
Well, it was looking like it was going to hit directly for
us, for this area.
And so we were kind of watchingit throughout the night and the
day before.
We were making sure like, okay,we're going to check, we're
going to be ready to go if weneed to.
Liz (16:46):
Yeah, all of our preparations and everything that
we need to do.
And so both of us got up earlythat morning, like at 4am,
checking the weather, to make adecision if we need to pack up
and get out of Dodge.
Ben (16:59):
Well, and it had been the case where, like the last couple
of hurricanes just were likegoing right for us and then all
of a sudden they would just turn, turn, yeah, so we were like
man is this gonna happen, likethis again?
Liz (17:08):
and this one was really bad , you know, and it was like it
was a high ranking one.
Yeah, this is like three orfour.
Yeah, you don't play.
Ben (17:15):
Yeah, you don't play and we , you know, we that Like.
Obviously we want to choosesafety no matter what the
situation is.
But we had seen the last coupleof hurricanes do that thing
where they just hook over, so wewere thinking well if we're
going to get out of town, are wegoing to have to go to
Jacksonville?
If we do that, then maybethat's going to be in the path
of the storm.
Liz (17:33):
Yeah, we were looking at everything, we at everything, we
just didn't know like north wasbad because it was showing,
showing that cone of uncertainty, and if any of you live where
hurricanes are.
When I say that, it's probablya trigger word when you hear the
cone of uncertainty.
You're like, oh, it's like aterrible word.
So anyway, all that to say,yeah, we put it before the
(17:54):
family.
Ben (17:54):
So we, we were like we're not quite sure what to do
whether we should stay whetherwe should go.
You know know, the hurricanewas supposed to hit that day,
and so we were like hey guys,listen, we're just coming to you
as parents.
We just want to put it beforeyou guys, Like what do you feel,
what do you think?
And we kind of went around theroom and just asked like hey,
what are you guys getting?
(18:14):
Do you feel like the Lord'stelling us that we should leave?
Do you get an impression at all?
Anything, you know what?
Liz (18:24):
what are you guys thinking in this moment?
Ben (18:25):
And one by one, they all said they felt like we should
stay, yeah, and then that gaveus confidence too, because we
were kind of leaning in thatdirection.
We had already individuallyyeah, we'd already individually
gotten that.
We were like well, and so itwas kind of a faith walk, to be
honest, like yeah it's kind ofscary even talking about it
right now yeah, yeah, you know,because you're like, uh, we
wouldn't just recommend that toany given situation, but we knew
our house would be fine, weknew we'd be okay.
Liz (18:45):
But the the biggest thing was afterwards.
It was like how many weekswould we be without power?
And we were totally prepped tobe ready for that which you have
to be when you live in the areaof the cone of uncertainty.
Like you, just you to we knowwe have generators, we're ready.
Ben (18:59):
Yeah.
Liz (18:59):
But who wants to be without power for a couple of weeks?
I definitely don't.
So it was like, if we can getout of Dodge, let's go, you know
, yeah, but I do want to saysomething as serious, as that
morning was Right.
We had been, you know, we hadbeen already meeting as a family
for years, and so, you know,like having these conversations
(19:19):
and praying and teaching themhow to pray, and you know, and
knowing the peace of the Lord,you know, that's something that
we've built upon.
But that particular morning ouroldest got on the keys.
His hair is all crazy.
His bedhead, oh yeah, totallybedhead, right.
Ben (19:36):
I know, yeah, yeah, but he, yeah, he was just started
playing worship music and it wasamazing, you know we just had a
little family devotion time,extended time and right before
the hurricane.
Liz (19:46):
But what was hilarious is this is how normal our family is
.
Some of them fell asleep.
They started snoring.
Okay, so this isn't anythinglike.
This is not like?
Oh my gosh, this sounds like.
Wow, what a holy moment intheir home.
No, it wasn't.
We had some we had some thatstarted fighting.
Ben (20:06):
Oh yeah, throwing pillows.
Yeah, I mean, there was likeliterally happening.
Liz (20:09):
I'm like, really you guys Like we.
So I'm just trying to put thatbefore you because if you're
thinking like it's going to looklike some beautiful, amazing
angels- it really doesn't.
It's like the normal normal.
And I even took a video andposted it on the social.
So if you saw that, I'm sureyou remember.
(20:30):
And of course we had friendsand family all over asking us
what we're doing and we had madethe decision to stay, which
most all of our neighbors havemade the same decision.
Ben (20:40):
So, yeah, a lot of people around us decided to stay as
well, so yeah and so anyway, butour daughter, she, we read
Psalm 91.
Liz (20:50):
You know we talked about that as a family.
What does that practically mean?
And then she decided that shewas going to go to every single
window pane in our entire houseand she wrote Psalm 91.
Now in our bathroom we havelike that really thick, like
from the 90s glass.
Ben (21:07):
Oh yeah, the glass blocks, the glass blocks.
Liz (21:09):
So there's like I don't know what 50 of those in there.
Ben (21:12):
She's in there.
It glass blocks so there's likea window.
I don't know what.
50 of those in there, she's inthere.
Liz (21:14):
Yeah, she's writing everything.
And then she did all the windowpanes of our sliding glass
doors which there's like tons ofthose too, you know it's like
crossed off or whatever, and soit's there.
Many of them are still upbecause I just cannot take them
down like I just think it'spermanent marker yeah, no, no,
it was uh expo oh yeah dry erase.
I told her she could do a dryerase, but to see her little
handwriting in Psalm 91.
(21:35):
And the kids were so awesome.
And then that hurricane turned.
Yeah, and we hardly got anything, I think we got one big branch
that came down.
Ben (21:45):
We had one little Well, yeah, yeah, that was it.
She came down from the tree.
Everything else is fine notrees down, no damage to the
house, nothing.
Liz (21:53):
Yeah, that's quite the thing.
That's quite the thing, yeah,but we've created that culture
of family devos, and I love thatrule of life.
Ben (22:00):
Yeah, we love that.
One other thing real quick is Iuse this little devotional.
It's reading the Psalms in 30days and that's pretty cool too,
and the way that you do that islike three times a day.
So that's another thing that Iuse personally, for my rule of
(22:22):
life is being able to just getinto the scriptures three times
a day and do a devotional.
That's been really, reallyawesome.
So we'll put a little link downin the description as well if
you guys are interested in that.
That's just one other thingthat you can do for your rule of
life, and you know, doing thethree times a day is not
uncommon.
We think Jesus probably didsomething similar to that.
Daniel obviously you know othercharacters from the Bible and
(22:42):
people from the Bible practicesomething similar to that.
Liz (22:45):
So uh, tell them about the dwell, I always say it weird.
Ben (22:49):
The app, the do well, do well.
Why do I always say dwell?
I always say it weird, the app,the Dwell Dwell.
Liz (22:52):
Why do I always say Dwell?
I always say it weird.
It's like our favorite thingright now.
Ben (22:56):
We're loving it.
Yeah, dwell app, dwell, dwellapp D-W-E-L-L.
I believe.
Liz (23:01):
So I'm saying it right, saying Dwell, I'm close.
Ben (23:04):
I think it's close enough.
Liz (23:07):
How do you say it?
Ben (23:08):
I'm just kind of lengthening it, but it's all
right.
Liz (23:10):
Oh.
Ben (23:11):
Maybe it's the Southern in you, so the Dwell app is really
cool.
There's probably about half adozen authors or speakers, I
would say that just put togetherdevotion.
Liz (23:22):
I love it.
Ben (23:23):
And they switch out.
So every day they havesomething.
It's got different kind of moodmusic.
I know that sounds weird on thedevotion, but it's really cool
Actually.
It kind of sets music.
Liz (23:32):
I know that sounds weird on a devotion, but it's really
cool Actually.
It kind of like sets the tone.
It's kind of like ambient.
Yeah, yeah, ambient, ambient,okay, stop, you know.
Ben (23:39):
I already have an issue.
I'll just say it for you.
Thank you.
Liz (23:41):
I have an issue with saying words sometimes, so anyways the
dwell app.
Ben (23:43):
that's another really cool thing we like to use for
devotions and they're aboutanywhere from like five to 10
minutes long.
They are very introspective.
Liz (23:54):
So normally we get a lot of questions from the kids, which
is great.
Ben (23:57):
I mean it opens up family dialogues.
That's another little tool toput in your arsenal with family
devotional things.
Liz (24:04):
Well, and if I may just interject for just a second, oh
you may.
Oh, thank you, I enjoy.
So Ben was using this app.
For how long were you usingthis for Ben?
Probably would you say likemaybe a month before the family
started.
Ben (24:18):
Maybe a couple of weeks.
Liz (24:19):
So then we started using it in the family and it has just
been so good I feel like I don'tknow how else to describe it,
but it's like I just feelcentered with the Lord,
especially when it's the firstthing in the morning, at like
six something, and you know Ihave my hot coffee in hand and
then listening to this, and it'sjust, it, just.
(24:40):
I have encountered the Lorddeeply through those, through
that app, and I love all theother things that we've done too
.
But I just think, for thisseason of where I am, I'm, I'm
loving it.
So, anyway, there's a shamelessplug Get where I am, I'm loving
it.
So, anyway, there's a shamelessplug Get it, get it and you can
do it anywhere.
I wouldn't do it when you'redriving, maybe, because
sometimes they tell you to closeyour eyes.
Ben (24:58):
Oh, yeah, don't do that.
Yeah, probably not.
Don't do that Most ideal duringdriving.
Yeah, wouldn't be good.
Yeah, yeah, cool.
Well, this has been really good.
I feel like we kind of coveredthe rule of life and shared some
funny stories along the waywith family devotions.
Liz (25:09):
We might have scared some people to not do devotions too.
Ben (25:12):
Yeah, yeah, we might have.
Liz (25:14):
Yeah, they're like I'm not prepared to talk about some of
these topics, people.
Ben (25:18):
And if you don't know what the hole in the pokey thing is.
Oh no, Stop Ben you can messageme later, ben, and I'll explain
that.
Oh my gosh, a little morecolorful language.
Liz (25:29):
Please do not For toddlers.
Do not message.
Do not message.
Okay, do you have a scriptureto wrap this up?
Okay, please, let's get moving.
Let's get moving.
Bring some sanctity to thisthing.
Come on All right.
Ben (25:41):
So just kind of going along with the rule of life concept.
First Timothy, 4, 7 through 8have nothing to do with
irreverent silly myths.
Rather, train yourself forgodliness, For whole bodily.
Training is of some value.
Godliness is of value in everyway as it holds promise for the
(26:03):
present life and also for thelife to come.
Love that so that I feel likethat sums it up really well
right.
Like that's kind of the ethos ofwhat we're trying to get with
the rule of life.
We are trying to train ourbodies, to train our minds, to
train ourselves so that we canattain to the life to come right
Like we're like.
(26:23):
That's what it's all about.
Right, we're not just looking atthe here and now.
We're not just looking at whatbenefits us in our present
bodily form.
We also want to think aboutwhat, the life to come, what we
need to do to reap the benefitsof that life, and so that's
where we want to focus our liveshere on earth to have a great
impact on the life to come.
Liz (26:44):
I love it.
What's the ethos of life?
Ben (26:47):
Oh boy, you had to ask that question.
Liz (26:49):
I did.
That's a big word.
Ben (26:50):
It is a big word, right.
Liz (26:51):
I know, like the essence, we'll just go with the essence.
The essence of life.
The essence of life.
Yeah, I know what it is, I wasjust kidding with you.
Okay, so One more, one more.
Oh yeah, one more.
We got Deuteronomy 4.9.
Oh yes, good scripture.
Ben (27:04):
So here we go.
So only take care and keep yoursoul diligently, lest you
forget the things that your eyeshave seen and lest they depart
from your heart all the days ofyour life.
Make them known to yourchildren and your children's
children.
Liz (27:17):
Ooh, I love that, so this is a great little corollary
verse for doing family devotions.
Ben (27:22):
We want to make sure that our kids are getting an
education not only from the lifeexperience that we've had with
the Lord, but also even ourgrandparents and just keeping
that, keeping that healthy yeah.
Just we want to pass it down.
Um, so we want our kids to know, we want our kids to experience
the Lord and we want them toalso just feel comfortable, you
(27:45):
know, having their own devotions.
Liz (27:47):
Yeah, I love that and we really are gearing that towards
that.
Like we've, the kids havejournals.
Uh, we encourage them.
You know, on days that we'renot meeting together as a family
, even when we do meet as afamily, still go have their own
personal time and uh, you know,cause it's a relationship.
Ben (28:03):
Yeah, you know, there's nebs and flows and there's times
where we're doing it reallywell, there's times where we're
not, you know just likeeverything, just like everything
in our messy life.
Liz (28:12):
You name it parenting you know all the things, yeah, but
it's, it's coming back to thatrule of life.
Ben (28:18):
Exactly.
Liz (28:19):
That's what it comes back to Cause it.
Ben (28:20):
it just brings you back to get the course, and when you,
when you do it with others, thenyou have uh something that you
can be accountable to oneanother.
Liz (28:27):
And I'm just thinking too, like if you get in a ship that
doesn't have a course, whathappens?
Ben (28:32):
Well, you get thrown to and fro by the wind and the waves.
Liz (28:36):
Right, and I mean as simple as when you jump in an airplane
and if you don't have yourcourse planned, you know one
degree off.
You're going in a completelydifferent direction.
Ben (28:46):
Yeah, yeah, I mean over time.
If your life is off just alittle bit over time, it just
gets more and more exaggeratedand you've wasted more and more
time.
So that's a good point it isyeah.
Liz (28:55):
So I love this.
I love that we talked aboutthis today.
Well, thank you for being apart of our one blessed today.
We are so grateful for youbeing here with us and we love
that we get to do this podcast,our one blessed mess.
Don't forget to subscribe andshare with a friend who needs
the encouragement.
Also, follow us on Instagramand now we have a Facebook page
(29:18):
Our One Blessed Mess.
And again it's numeric one, buthonestly, until next time, we
want you to embrace yourbeautiful mess, because if our
mess can be blessed, Then so canyours.
Then so can yours have a greatday.
All right, welcome to our one blessed mess.
This is Ben and Liz, and we'rehere telling our story of
raising six kids that we had ineight years, managing our
entrepreneurial home with twobusinesses plus homeschooling,
and currently raising how manyteenagers been, how many four
teenagers?
Four, about to be five about tobe five plus seven chickens and
(00:28):
two dogs, just to keep thingsinteresting.
But today's conversation isabout what?
Ben (00:35):
today's topic is family devotions and just in also like
the broader topic of a rule oflife.
So specifically familydevotions, but also as it
relates to this topic of a ruleof life, so specifically family
devotions, but also as itrelates to this concept of a
rule of life, and you know we'regoing to share some fun stories
about just the craziness thathappens when we do family
(00:55):
devotions with a large family.
Liz (00:56):
I think I know which one you're thinking of.
Right this second.
Ben (01:00):
Oh, an actual story.
Liz (01:01):
Yes, I do.
Ben (01:02):
Like a story from family devotions.
Liz (01:04):
Well, yeah, I mean, we've got some funny stories.
Ben (01:06):
There's a few yeah.
Liz (01:09):
I think I know which one you're thinking of.
Ben (01:11):
Which one?
Liz (01:11):
I think the one about sex, ed and devotions.
Ben (01:15):
That is a little crazy.
You might not have heard itright.
That was sex ed in our FamilyDevotions.
Liz (01:23):
Yeah, that was.
How do we even begin to tellthis story?
Ben (01:27):
Well, I think maybe you lay a little context.
You weren't there so you kindof get to escape the blame for
that one.
Liz (01:34):
Right, I was totally gone because I took our youngest to
school somewhere.
I don't know what happened, butI was one of the youngest.
Ben (01:42):
It was one of them.
Liz (01:43):
One of the kids, one of the six pack.
I took them somewhere and whenI came back, our oldest daughter
came running out to the car allin a hissy.
She got in the car, shut thedoor shut and she was like Mom,
I have to tell you something.
I'm like, what I mean?
I haven't even, I haven't eventurned off the car yet.
She's like mom, dad, he justsaid something that he should
(02:05):
have never said.
Thinking what did your fathersay?
I don't even know.
I can't even get this out of mymouth.
I can't even believe we'retalking about this.
I don't know if I can recordthis.
Ben (02:16):
Well, maybe it'd be helpful if I told the story.
Maybe, so because this part Ijust I can't.
I so let's set a little context, as as they said, or as they
said, she wasn't there.
Right, it was just me with thekids and we do family devotions
in the morning pretty regularly.
Liz (02:34):
When you know we've had some seasons on and off.
We're not perfect, we're notperfect in it and I mean, let's
face it, we're a family, so yeah, perfect.
Ever things change.
But we've.
Ben (02:44):
We've always tried to kind of continue to come back to
family devotions.
So this particular day Liz wasout uh had the rest of the kids
and typically how it goes islike I'll read from a devotional
or we'll listen to a devotional, or maybe we'll even like pull
up some Bible project videos.
Liz (03:00):
Oh yeah, those are the best the Bible project videos.
I get so so much out of those.
Yeah, really I love them justfor myself.
Ben (03:06):
But uh, really well done um .
So anyways, we did one of thoseand the topic of uh, children
came up like who asked thequestion?
Well it was.
I think it was our youngestokay, so he was there, yeah and
he was.
He was just kind of noodling onthis concept of children and
like how they were a blessingand he was like where?
(03:29):
where do children come from?
I think is what he asked, andimmediately some of the older
kids kind of shot a look at melike don't, don't do that, Don't
answer that question.
Liz (03:41):
Because they know their dad , they know their dad, they know
their dad is not going to leavethat question hanging.
So what did you say?
Because he was younger.
Well, I mean here's myphilosophy.
Ben (03:51):
It's like if you're going to ask that question, I would
rather be the one to answer itInstead of no, I get it.
Liz (04:00):
Some uncontrolled circumstance.
I'm on the same page as you.
Right, I get it, I get it.
So I was getting jazzed.
I was like, all right, here'smy opportunity we get to At the
family devotions with everybodythere, of course, naturally.
Ben (04:10):
Yeah, except for you and one other person.
Liz (04:11):
But anyways, whoever it was , we don't even remember.
Yeah, we don't remember, butanyways.
Ben (04:14):
so I'm like rearing to a younger child.
So, like you know, I'm thinkingokay, how do I relate this?
I don't really know how old hewas.
He was probably like maybe fouror five.
Liz (04:33):
I don't know, but what you said you need to get to the
punchline you need to get tothis part of the story so
basically, it's awkward to sayit, it is yeah.
I'm dragging my feet.
Ben (04:50):
I don't know what's awkward , gosh, dang it.
Now we're talking about it.
You better say it.
People want to know.
Basically, I turned to him andI said, well, oh my gosh,
there's I can't even get it outthere's, there's the this hole
and a pokey thing.
Oh my gosh, and it.
And it was doomed right fromthe beginning oh my gosh, my
kids just started laughing theolder ones just were like what
the heck Blaze?
Our oldest was not happy.
Our oldest was like dad.
Liz (05:09):
Justice.
She's Miss Justice.
So as soon as I pulled up shewas hot Mom.
Then I said he said what shegoes?
He just said that I was like ohno, so of course I get out of
the car going.
I'm like babe, really, he'slike.
He asked, I'm like, but you hadto say it, right then?
Ben (05:30):
So that was how not to do sex ed and family devotions
because it fell really flat, butanyways it was hilarious.
We laugh about it quitefrequently actually as a family,
because I'm basically notallowed to do sex ed anymore no,
not in that context.
Liz (05:46):
No, no, no but we I mean honestly, we love family
devotions we do we try to do itmost mornings.
Ben (05:52):
Um, yeah, it's a really great thing.
Uh, I know it takes time andobviously we have to get on the
same page right and the sameschedule right um, but that's
kind of what I want to talkabout in the general context of,
like, what is a rule of life.
And so maybe you've not heardof that concept before.
We heard of it through thisbook called Practicing the Way
Yep Great book by John MarkComer.
Liz (06:15):
Great book.
Ben (06:16):
And yeah, super good book on discipleship, Not bark book.
Liz (06:21):
That is not going to be in the family devotions either.
Hopefully, not Maybe the dogdevotions who knows, but not the
family devotions.
Ben (06:28):
Oh my gosh, anyways.
So this book talks about theconcept of a rule of life, and
the first we hear about the ruleof life is from monastic
Christian communities around thefourth century, and essentially
it's just a way to guide andshape your life.
Liz (06:45):
Right, wait, were the monks , the ones that kind of had like
a skull?
Ben (06:51):
Oh yeah, I mean that was another thing about it from the
book is like John Mark talksabout some of the early monks
who were practicing this likerule of life concept and some of
them would keep a skull attheir desk at the work desk but
why though?
Sounds a little morbid, rightactually I'm thinking like did
(07:11):
they celebrate halloween?
Liz (07:13):
no, I mean isn't that, like merlin that had right?
Ben (07:18):
no, you wait, you mean the wizard.
Liz (07:21):
I guess he wasn't a monk, never mind Delete that.
Ben (07:24):
Yeah well, I don't know, Maybe there is a Merlin that's a
monk, but not that I remember,no, no, no, I'm thinking of the
wrong thing.
So they would keep these humanskulls at their desk to remind
them that life is short.
Liz (07:36):
Right and that they shouldn't squander their time.
Ben (07:39):
Instead, they should rule over their life.
Liz (07:42):
That's actually really good , you guys over their life.
That's actually really good,you guys, that's so good.
Ben (07:49):
It sounds a little extreme, but I kind of like that concept
of just having something so inyour face every day, like, hey,
we have a short time on thisearth, we do.
Liz (07:55):
I think that's the part that's like Don't squander your
time, yeah, I think that's thething that's hitting my heart
and that's why we do familydevotions, because, as we're
raising a family, we mean wehave, you know, emerging adults
and they're talking about movingout and, you know, going off to
college and and all thesedifferent endeavors that they
want to pursue.
But you know, we know that weonly have so much time, so in
(08:16):
our home, we want to, we want toset, we want to set the tone
and teach them how to do it.
Let's be clear, right, yeah?
Ben (08:23):
Yeah, so that was one of the things that we knew when we
were planning our rule of lifeas a family.
We knew that devotions wasgoing to be, like, probably the
first thing that we did in themornings.
So the rule of life, again,it's the concept of kind of
taking the reins of your lifeand not just being reactive.
Liz (08:42):
Right, that's good.
Ben (08:43):
And so I think that's the biggest thing.
It's not necessarily just likea bunch of rules and like a lot
of don'ts, it's more about do's.
Right, so it's you know, it'slike not what you don't want to
have happen, it's what you dowant to have happen.
So that's the most importantthing.
It's like trying to take thereins of your life, not just
(09:05):
give it to whatever's the nextmost urgent thing, right so?
that concept's like called thetyranny of the urgent.
We don't want to live that way.
We don't want to live like justfor the next emergency.
Right, we want to start shapingour lives and pointing it in
the right direction, based onwhat we think, what we value.
Liz (09:24):
Right, so Isn't that something that you do in
programming too?
Ben (09:28):
Well, yeah, I mean.
So there's this concept of likereactive programming and things
like that, and so you know it'sreacting to things is good from
a programming standpoint, butwe don't want to be reactive
with our time.
Liz (09:42):
We want to be proactive.
We want to be proactive, yeah,yeah, because, yeah, because
you're sowing into your future.
Ben (09:47):
You are and like I've heard it kind of said, you know, like
you don't want to transact inopportunities.
Right, right, that's good youwant to make sure that you are
setting the course of your life,not giving up, just based on
you know, on what the most crazyemergency is at any given time.
Right Because if you're allowingthings to take your time away,
(10:11):
then you're transacting inopportunities that you could be
having at that moment, right.
So that's kind of the idea islike you don't want to just be
unruled, you want to have a ruleof life.
Liz (10:22):
Right yeah, so you were giving Ethan a rule of life that
Well, I gave him a lot morethan that.
Ben (10:28):
You gave him an epiphany.
Liz (10:30):
Oh boy, yeah, Poor guy.
Ben (10:32):
So, but anyways, if you're interested in learning a little
bit more about that concept, wehighly recommend John Mark's
book.
Liz (10:37):
Practicing the.
Ben (10:38):
Way, and then you can also look up practicingthewayorg
that's the website of his bookand he's got a rule of life
builder, which is pretty cool.
So you can actually go on thereand pull out some different
things to build your rule oflife and just based on your
interests and things like that,you can kind of set a schedule.
(10:59):
So it's pretty cool.
Liz (11:00):
I didn't even know you could do that.
So can you do that individuallyand for like a family?
I believe so, yeah.
Ben (11:05):
I think it's more specific to individuals, but that's the
other thing too is like you wantto find other like-minded
people who will be able to joinyou in this rule of life idea.
Liz (11:16):
Okay.
Ben (11:16):
And then it's much easier to keep each other accountable
when you do it in a community.
So just like we're doing as afamily, just like we have some
things, like you know.
We want to start out themorning with devotions.
We want to set aside a day ofthe week where we're not doing
screens.
Liz (11:30):
Yes, when do we do that?
So that's Sundays, we doSundays.
Ben (11:33):
Yeah, we make sure that we just have kind of a screen free
day there, and then also we'relimiting the amount of time that
we're on screens throughout theweek.
We're making sure that our kidsare into creative endeavors.
That's another big thing thatwe are interested in personally
as a family.
Yes, we are.
So, yeah, it's just.
I mean, it's like a wholedifferent way of thinking about
(11:54):
the time that you have, insteadof just kind of giving yourself
over to, I don't know, maybejust binge watching certain
things or just playing videogames without any kind of end in
sight.
Instead we're kind of takingback the time and trying to make
it work for us, not just beingreactive.
Liz (12:13):
Well, and I think, as parents, we know that our time
is limited.
We only have so many years andyou only have so many years
within their different seasonsof these kids as well.
So they're all in differentstages and so having the rule of
life even for each child asyou're looking at their
uniqueness and gifting andtalents, you know.
I mean it's just good.
(12:34):
I think overall, what you'resaying is is brilliant.
I love it.
Ben (12:37):
I love it.
Yeah, so glad we're doing it,yeah, anyway.
So if there's if you guys wantto learn a little bit more about
that, we'll put the links inthe.
If you guys want to learn alittle bit more about that,
we'll put the links in the shownotes and so you'll be able to
check those out.
But we want to talk aboutanother story that we had during
devotions.
But this is really cool.
I don't think there's going tobe like a hilarity story.
Maybe there is.
Liz (12:54):
I don't know which one is it.
Ben (12:56):
Well, it's when we were going around and like
recognizing each kid and howthey are able to display the
character of the Lord.
Liz (13:04):
Yes.
Ben (13:05):
And we did that, so we did this.
I don't know, this was probablylast year, and what we did we
just felt kind of impressed todo this one morning is that we
took turns with each kid and wewent around as a family and
called out the characterattributes of God that that kid
we felt like they exemplified.
Liz (13:26):
So that was really cool and it was actually really fun
because we've got some veryintroverted children in our
family and those ones actuallyhad the coolest things to say
about their siblings and when itwas their time they ate it up.
They did Ate it up.
Ben (13:45):
They did and it was really neat to see how, like when we
were telling them, like what wesaw in their character, that we
felt like, reminded us of God'scharacter, like so, for instance
, you know our oldest, we we sawlike how he was very
responsible, yes, and how hefelt the need to uh be
(14:05):
compassionate with some of hisyounger siblings and we were
just like, yeah, we've you know,and even like protecting them
and how we felt like that that'show the lord, kind of you know,
is with.
He protects us and he'scompassionate towards us, and so
we were saying that towards himand we just saw like the
biggest smile come over his face.
Liz (14:25):
Yeah, it was real sweet.
Yeah, yeah, it was really cool.
And there were some otherthings with different ones, and
the kids saying it to each otherwas really cool.
Now we we do something likethat for their birthdays.
When somebody's in our, it'stheir birthday in our home,
everybody will go around thetable and say what they love
about the individual.
But for us to take time, andthis was like on a Saturday,
this wasn't like during theweekday because it took a while.
Ben (14:46):
It took about an hour.
Liz (14:47):
Yeah, to get through it.
Well, plus, we have a ginormousfamily.
Ben (14:50):
So of course it's going to take a time.
Liz (14:51):
But when we do birthdays it's just that birthday person.
So that day everybody just feltbetter.
They were smiling and typicallyyou know our devotions I'm just
thinking about the length oftime to be practical are not
that long, you know we'll dolike maybe 10, 15 minutes.
Ben (15:07):
Well, we kind of keep it open-ended on some of our
devotions, right Like sometimeswe'll have something that is
very specific and then thatmight start generating questions
that the kids have about aspecific topic.
Liz (15:19):
So especially as they're getting older.
I mean, they're asking reallygood questions and they're part
of the.
There's a conversation and andI just want to say for those who
have younger ones, you knowthere are lots of little
children devotionals out there,but when they were little, I
mean we would, we would pull outcrayons and paper and they
would color, because we havedifferent ages, you know we'd
(15:40):
have like teenagers, you knowbudding teenagers, and then like
a four year old, you knowthey're not going to, they don't
care about what we're talkingabout, and so we try to make it
friendly for everybody.
And and also I'm just thinkingto like the, the Bible projects
have been good because they'renot that long and usually all
the ages are enjoying them.
So it looks messy you guys thatlong and usually all the ages
(16:00):
are enjoying them, so it looksmessy you guys too.
Especially we have littles likedon't think it's going to be
like this big, wonderful, yay,it's like.
Okay, they're fighting, theyjust started biting, which makes
me think of another time thatwe had the hurricane coming when
we had a devotion we had a.
We live near the coast and so ahurricane was coming and uh, I'm
just saying this because we gotup early in the morning to
(16:21):
check the weather and to see andto make a decision if we needed
to evacuate or not.
Ben (16:26):
Right, right, you remember which hurricane that was?
Uh-uh, I don't remember.
There's been so many, I don'tremember.
Liz (16:30):
Yeah, but it was a bad one.
It was a really bad one.
Ben (16:33):
Well, it was looking like it was going to hit directly for
us, for this area.
And so we were kind of watchingit throughout the night and the
day before.
We were making sure like, okay,we're going to check, we're
going to be ready to go if weneed to.
Liz (16:46):
Yeah, all of our preparations and everything that
we need to do.
And so both of us got up earlythat morning, like at 4am,
checking the weather, to make adecision if we need to pack up
and get out of Dodge.
Ben (16:59):
Well, and it had been the case where, like the last couple
of hurricanes just were likegoing right for us and then all
of a sudden they would just turn, turn, yeah, so we were like
man is this gonna happen, likethis again?
Liz (17:08):
and this one was really bad , you know, and it was like it
was a high ranking one.
Yeah, this is like three orfour.
Yeah, you don't play.
Ben (17:15):
Yeah, you don't play and we , you know, we that Like.
Obviously we want to choosesafety no matter what the
situation is.
But we had seen the last coupleof hurricanes do that thing
where they just hook over, so wewere thinking well if we're
going to get out of town, are wegoing to have to go to
Jacksonville?
If we do that, then maybethat's going to be in the path
of the storm.
Liz (17:33):
Yeah, we were looking at everything, we at everything, we
just didn't know like north wasbad because it was showing,
showing that cone of uncertainty, and if any of you live where
hurricanes are.
When I say that, it's probablya trigger word when you hear the
cone of uncertainty.
You're like, oh, it's like aterrible word.
So anyway, all that to say,yeah, we put it before the
(17:54):
family.
Ben (17:54):
So we, we were like we're not quite sure what to do
whether we should stay whetherwe should go.
You know know, the hurricanewas supposed to hit that day,
and so we were like hey guys,listen, we're just coming to you
as parents.
We just want to put it beforeyou guys, Like what do you feel,
what do you think?
And we kind of went around theroom and just asked like hey,
what are you guys getting?
(18:14):
Do you feel like the Lord'stelling us that we should leave?
Do you get an impression at all?
Anything, you know what?
Liz (18:24):
what are you guys thinking in this moment?
Ben (18:25):
And one by one, they all said they felt like we should
stay, yeah, and then that gaveus confidence too, because we
were kind of leaning in thatdirection.
We had already individuallyyeah, we'd already individually
gotten that.
We were like well, and so itwas kind of a faith walk, to be
honest, like yeah it's kind ofscary even talking about it
right now yeah, yeah, you know,because you're like, uh, we
wouldn't just recommend that toany given situation, but we knew
our house would be fine, weknew we'd be okay.
Liz (18:45):
But the the biggest thing was afterwards.
It was like how many weekswould we be without power?
And we were totally prepped tobe ready for that which you have
to be when you live in the areaof the cone of uncertainty.
Like you, just you to we knowwe have generators, we're ready.
Ben (18:59):
Yeah.
Liz (18:59):
But who wants to be without power for a couple of weeks?
I definitely don't.
So it was like, if we can getout of Dodge, let's go, you know
, yeah, but I do want to saysomething as serious, as that
morning was Right.
We had been, you know, we hadbeen already meeting as a family
for years, and so, you know,like having these conversations
(19:19):
and praying and teaching themhow to pray, and you know, and
knowing the peace of the Lord,you know, that's something that
we've built upon.
But that particular morning ouroldest got on the keys.
His hair is all crazy.
His bedhead, oh yeah, totallybedhead, right.
Ben (19:36):
I know, yeah, yeah, but he, yeah, he was just started
playing worship music and it wasamazing, you know we just had a
little family devotion time,extended time and right before
the hurricane.
Liz (19:46):
But what was hilarious is this is how normal our family is
.
Some of them fell asleep.
They started snoring.
Okay, so this isn't anythinglike.
This is not like?
Oh my gosh, this sounds like.
Wow, what a holy moment intheir home.
No, it wasn't.
We had some we had some thatstarted fighting.
Ben (20:06):
Oh yeah, throwing pillows.
Yeah, I mean, there was likeliterally happening.
Liz (20:09):
I'm like, really you guys Like we.
So I'm just trying to put thatbefore you because if you're
thinking like it's going to looklike some beautiful, amazing
angels- it really doesn't.
It's like the normal normal.
And I even took a video andposted it on the social.
So if you saw that, I'm sureyou remember.
(20:30):
And of course we had friendsand family all over asking us
what we're doing and we had madethe decision to stay, which
most all of our neighbors havemade the same decision.
Ben (20:40):
So, yeah, a lot of people around us decided to stay as
well, so yeah and so anyway, butour daughter, she, we read
Psalm 91.
Liz (20:50):
You know we talked about that as a family.
What does that practically mean?
And then she decided that shewas going to go to every single
window pane in our entire houseand she wrote Psalm 91.
Now in our bathroom we havelike that really thick, like
from the 90s glass.
Ben (21:07):
Oh yeah, the glass blocks, the glass blocks.
Liz (21:09):
So there's like I don't know what 50 of those in there.
Ben (21:12):
She's in there.
It glass blocks so there's likea window.
I don't know what.
50 of those in there, she's inthere.
Liz (21:14):
Yeah, she's writing everything.
And then she did all the windowpanes of our sliding glass
doors which there's like tons ofthose too, you know it's like
crossed off or whatever, and soit's there.
Many of them are still upbecause I just cannot take them
down like I just think it'spermanent marker yeah, no, no,
it was uh expo oh yeah dry erase.
I told her she could do a dryerase, but to see her little
handwriting in Psalm 91.
(21:35):
And the kids were so awesome.
And then that hurricane turned.
Yeah, and we hardly got anything, I think we got one big branch
that came down.
Ben (21:45):
We had one little Well, yeah, yeah, that was it.
She came down from the tree.
Everything else is fine notrees down, no damage to the
house, nothing.
Liz (21:53):
Yeah, that's quite the thing.
That's quite the thing, yeah,but we've created that culture
of family devos, and I love thatrule of life.
Ben (22:00):
Yeah, we love that.
One other thing real quick is Iuse this little devotional.
It's reading the Psalms in 30days and that's pretty cool too,
and the way that you do that islike three times a day.
So that's another thing that Iuse personally, for my rule of
(22:22):
life is being able to just getinto the scriptures three times
a day and do a devotional.
That's been really, reallyawesome.
So we'll put a little link downin the description as well if
you guys are interested in that.
That's just one other thingthat you can do for your rule of
life, and you know, doing thethree times a day is not
uncommon.
We think Jesus probably didsomething similar to that.
Daniel obviously you know othercharacters from the Bible and
(22:42):
people from the Bible practicesomething similar to that.
Liz (22:45):
So uh, tell them about the dwell, I always say it weird.
Ben (22:49):
The app, the do well, do well.
Why do I always say dwell?
I always say it weird, the app,the Dwell Dwell.
Liz (22:52):
Why do I always say Dwell?
I always say it weird.
It's like our favorite thingright now.
Ben (22:56):
We're loving it.
Yeah, dwell app, dwell, dwellapp D-W-E-L-L.
I believe.
Liz (23:01):
So I'm saying it right, saying Dwell, I'm close.
Ben (23:04):
I think it's close enough.
Liz (23:07):
How do you say it?
Ben (23:08):
I'm just kind of lengthening it, but it's all
right.
Liz (23:10):
Oh.
Ben (23:11):
Maybe it's the Southern in you, so the Dwell app is really
cool.
There's probably about half adozen authors or speakers, I
would say that just put togetherdevotion.
Liz (23:22):
I love it.
Ben (23:23):
And they switch out.
So every day they havesomething.
It's got different kind of moodmusic.
I know that sounds weird on thedevotion, but it's really cool
Actually.
It kind of sets music.
Liz (23:32):
I know that sounds weird on a devotion, but it's really
cool Actually.
It kind of like sets the tone.
It's kind of like ambient.
Yeah, yeah, ambient, ambient,okay, stop, you know.
Ben (23:39):
I already have an issue.
I'll just say it for you.
Thank you.
Liz (23:41):
I have an issue with saying words sometimes, so anyways the
dwell app.
Ben (23:43):
that's another really cool thing we like to use for
devotions and they're aboutanywhere from like five to 10
minutes long.
They are very introspective.
Liz (23:54):
So normally we get a lot of questions from the kids, which
is great.
Ben (23:57):
I mean it opens up family dialogues.
That's another little tool toput in your arsenal with family
devotional things.
Liz (24:04):
Well, and if I may just interject for just a second, oh
you may.
Oh, thank you, I enjoy.
So Ben was using this app.
For how long were you usingthis for Ben?
Probably would you say likemaybe a month before the family
started.
Ben (24:18):
Maybe a couple of weeks.
Liz (24:19):
So then we started using it in the family and it has just
been so good I feel like I don'tknow how else to describe it,
but it's like I just feelcentered with the Lord,
especially when it's the firstthing in the morning, at like
six something, and you know Ihave my hot coffee in hand and
then listening to this, and it'sjust, it, just.
(24:40):
I have encountered the Lorddeeply through those, through
that app, and I love all theother things that we've done too
.
But I just think, for thisseason of where I am, I'm, I'm
loving it.
So, anyway, there's a shamelessplug Get where I am, I'm loving
it.
So, anyway, there's a shamelessplug Get it, get it and you can
do it anywhere.
I wouldn't do it when you'redriving, maybe, because
sometimes they tell you to closeyour eyes.
Ben (24:58):
Oh, yeah, don't do that.
Yeah, probably not.
Don't do that Most ideal duringdriving.
Yeah, wouldn't be good.
Yeah, yeah, cool.
Well, this has been really good.
I feel like we kind of coveredthe rule of life and shared some
funny stories along the waywith family devotions.
Liz (25:09):
We might have scared some people to not do devotions too.
Ben (25:12):
Yeah, yeah, we might have.
Liz (25:14):
Yeah, they're like I'm not prepared to talk about some of
these topics, people.
Ben (25:18):
And if you don't know what the hole in the pokey thing is.
Oh no, Stop Ben you can messageme later, ben, and I'll explain
that.
Oh my gosh, a little morecolorful language.
Liz (25:29):
Please do not For toddlers.
Do not message.
Do not message.
Okay, do you have a scriptureto wrap this up?
Okay, please, let's get moving.
Let's get moving.
Bring some sanctity to thisthing.
Come on All right.
Ben (25:41):
So just kind of going along with the rule of life concept.
First Timothy, 4, 7 through 8have nothing to do with
irreverent silly myths.
Rather, train yourself forgodliness, For whole bodily.
Training is of some value.
Godliness is of value in everyway as it holds promise for the
(26:03):
present life and also for thelife to come.
Love that so that I feel likethat sums it up really well
right.
Like that's kind of the ethos ofwhat we're trying to get with
the rule of life.
We are trying to train ourbodies, to train our minds, to
train ourselves so that we canattain to the life to come right
Like we're like.
(26:23):
That's what it's all about.
Right, we're not just looking atthe here and now.
We're not just looking at whatbenefits us in our present
bodily form.
We also want to think aboutwhat, the life to come, what we
need to do to reap the benefitsof that life, and so that's
where we want to focus our liveshere on earth to have a great
impact on the life to come.
Liz (26:44):
I love it.
What's the ethos of life?
Ben (26:47):
Oh boy, you had to ask that question.
Liz (26:49):
I did.
That's a big word.
Ben (26:50):
It is a big word, right.
Liz (26:51):
I know, like the essence, we'll just go with the essence.
The essence of life.
The essence of life.
Yeah, I know what it is, I wasjust kidding with you.
Okay, so One more, one more.
Oh yeah, one more.
We got Deuteronomy 4.9.
Oh yes, good scripture.
Ben (27:04):
So here we go.
So only take care and keep yoursoul diligently, lest you
forget the things that your eyeshave seen and lest they depart
from your heart all the days ofyour life.
Make them known to yourchildren and your children's
children.
Liz (27:17):
Ooh, I love that, so this is a great little corollary
verse for doing family devotions.
Ben (27:22):
We want to make sure that our kids are getting an
education not only from the lifeexperience that we've had with
the Lord, but also even ourgrandparents and just keeping
that, keeping that healthy yeah.
Just we want to pass it down.
Um, so we want our kids to know, we want our kids to experience
the Lord and we want them toalso just feel comfortable, you
(27:45):
know, having their own devotions.
Liz (27:47):
Yeah, I love that and we really are gearing that towards
that.
Like we've, the kids havejournals.
Uh, we encourage them.
You know, on days that we'renot meeting together as a family
, even when we do meet as afamily, still go have their own
personal time and uh, you know,cause it's a relationship.
Ben (28:03):
Yeah, you know, there's nebs and flows and there's times
where we're doing it reallywell, there's times where we're
not, you know just likeeverything, just like everything
in our messy life.
Liz (28:12):
You name it parenting you know all the things, yeah, but
it's, it's coming back to thatrule of life.
Ben (28:18):
Exactly.
Liz (28:19):
That's what it comes back to Cause it.
Ben (28:20):
it just brings you back to get the course, and when you,
when you do it with others, thenyou have uh something that you
can be accountable to oneanother.
Liz (28:27):
And I'm just thinking too, like if you get in a ship that
doesn't have a course, whathappens?
Ben (28:32):
Well, you get thrown to and fro by the wind and the waves.
Liz (28:36):
Right, and I mean as simple as when you jump in an airplane
and if you don't have yourcourse planned, you know one
degree off.
You're going in a completelydifferent direction.
Ben (28:46):
Yeah, yeah, I mean over time.
If your life is off just alittle bit over time, it just
gets more and more exaggeratedand you've wasted more and more
time.
So that's a good point it isyeah.
Liz (28:55):
So I love this.
I love that we talked aboutthis today.
Well, thank you for being apart of our one blessed today.
We are so grateful for youbeing here with us and we love
that we get to do this podcast,our one blessed mess.
Don't forget to subscribe andshare with a friend who needs
the encouragement.
Also, follow us on Instagramand now we have a Facebook page
(29:18):
Our One Blessed Mess.
And again it's numeric one, buthonestly, until next time, we
want you to embrace yourbeautiful mess, because if our
mess can be blessed, Then so canyours.
Then so can yours have a greatday.
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