How I spend time with God - the place

For me personally, where I sit is important. I can't concentrate well if I'm surrounded by other projects or clutter. Clutter will make me feel too chaotic to get started, and seeing lots of other things I need to get done will make me think I'm too busy to have time for this today.

That's a lie of course, but I know that's how it makes me feel so I avoid facing my desk, which makes me think of the six deadlines I've got. I avoid facing the kitchen sink because it reminds me of the dishes I need to do, or the meals I need to plan. And I wouldn't dream of going near the laundry room because I seem to be forever behind on laundry! But if I wait for my house to be perfectly clean to sit down with God, I'll only spend time with Him maybe 10 days a year!

Instead I sit at my kitchen table which is situated in a nook with a bay window. I face out the windows with my back to the rest of the kitchen. If my kitchen table happens to be cluttered, I clear it first. Else I move to a different location since I'm so easily driven to distraction.

Spot number two is a little cafe table in my family room that is situated in a corner between two windows. I face, you guessed it, out the windows with my back to the rest of the house. I like sitting at tables because it allows me to easily write down thoughts or scriptures or prayers. My little cafe table and 2 chairs tend to stay clean and clear with little effort (unlike my kitchen table) so its almost always available.

Some days, however, the best I can do is collapse in my recliner and read some out of my Bible. Maybe I'm feeling tired, or a little under the weather, or just totally uninspired, but on these occasions I don't try to have a big Bible quiet time "session." I just crawl in the recliner with God. If you have uninspired days too, do what I do and trust in the fact that God said His Word would never return to Him void. If you have times you feel like nothing you are reading is sinking in, pray that Isaiah 55:ll will be true in your life:

"So will my word be which goes out of my mouth: it will not come back to me with nothing done, but it will give effect to my purpose, and do that for which I have sent it." -Isaiah 55:11

But that's more on par with my next post on this topic ... so stay tuned for more. And check back in the coming days and weeks if you want a little accountability on this. Oh, and feel free to leave a comment and tell me where you like to meet with God, I'd really love to hear about it!
I'll try and post a picture of my "quiet spots" tomorrow.