A Day in Dairyland

Routine! Wow! - Now there's a tough one! I have found routines are great but in the ministry they need to be adjusted quite often. One never knows what the next day/hour may bring. I struggle with speaking to others need for specific routines though I would stress their importance.
Our mornings tend to be a little rushed with Ryrie in School for the time being and me having to teach a class at 8:15 3 days a week. I'm usually up by 6:45 though I would prefer 6:00. We try to eat breakfast when we can by 7:30ish. If we get started any earlier we will read our 1 year New testament, sing the congregational songs for our next Sunday's worship service, and try to fit in a quick catechism finished by prayer and hugs and kisses before I run out the door. Ryrie gets done with school at 11:45 and he and I leave for lunch at that time. We do the same routine at lunch just not with the rush and I'm usually back at the office by 1:15. I'm usually done around 5:00 at which point I come home and HELP with supper (at every meal I try to help as much as is possible seeing we have 4 small children). Usually that means entertaining the kids so April can finish cooking it. The kids and I will sometimes wrestle or read some Chr of Narnia, tonight we played a matching game that they really enjoyed. Supper is usually on the table by 6:00 - give or take depending on what is going that night - visitation/awana. We follow the same meal routine as breakfast and lunch with scripture/songs/catechism/prayer. Pretty much after supper is clean up time both of the meal and the kids rooms and play area. That wraps up hopefully around 7:30-7:45 and then we do the same routine at the end of the meals depending on the time. Tonight we read a short Bible story rather than our whole NT reading. We are almost through the NT for the first time. It has been a blessing. I'm debating what to do next. We actually read the same passage at every meal so by the end the kids will have heard it about 2-3 times. Repetition is way up there in my book especially at the age they are right now. I may try to get them through the whole Bible. I would read a chapter per meal. Starting in Gen at Breakfast, Job at Lunch and Matt at Supper - something like that. The kids are in bed at 8:00 or a few minutes after. I have decided that is the best time for April and I to run over any music we might need to - 15-20 minutes. After that April and I both have our Bible reading times - She's reads a Spiritual growth book and her Bible, I read 7 pages of the NT along with my 3 chapters of through the Bible reading. Sometimes there are other chores to do like cleaning the kitchen or writing an email. Friday's are my day off so if April and I ever go out we try to do it on a Thursday night. Friday Ryrie obviously still has school so we can't be together as a family the whole day. I try to help April with stuff in the a.m. like cleaning or just getting Caedrin and Regann out of the house for a few hours. I like to do my Bible reading during the kid’s naps in afternoon. We take the kids to the Library for some books and a video because Friday is pizza night and their one chance a week to watch a movie.
Here's the deal. I like our routine - I praise the Lord for a wife who encourages and cooperates with it and for His grace to keep it going. It takes an incredible amount of discipline every day and it doesn't always go as planned. I seek not to flaunt what we do before others outside of encouraging some of these practices in their own lives. I hesitate somewhat in sharing it with everyone, due to the fact that not all of you have it as easy as I do. I honestly believe that the greatest keys to the success of our routine are the absence of Television reception in our home, a very limited appetite in movie watching, and no internet access.

Caleb