Secret Hiding Spot

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

I live with four males. That would be a hubby, two sons, and one dog. I love it! I really do. Even as I type this with my eyes glazing over, I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. I’m completely certain that this is the perfect family for me, but did I mention that I’m surrounded by those of the male species morning, noon, and night?

My dad…oh my poor dad. It was the opposite in our house growing up. There might have been one specific incident that made him run from the dinner table even though he wasn’t quite finished eating. Don’t worry, I think he took his food with him. I’m sure he was running to a secret hiding spot.

What you don’t know is that my home has a very open floor plan. What I love about it is also what can be problematic at times. There is no quiet space! The bathroom is always an option but doesn’t seem like a really good one. Our bedroom is actually a tad bit open too, so it’s out.

Not one to give up, I decided to keep on the mission of finding a secret hiding spot. One morning I was in my closet getting dressed because I hate shutting my blinds since I would miss the gorgeous sunrises. Apparently, my hubby was looking for me. When I opened the closet door and popped out, I scared the living daylights out of him! It might have caused me a tad bit of amusement.

What I realized during this unfortunate, however highly entertaining, event was that I couldn’t hear everything from in there. I was being handed quite a wonderful gift. I found it…my secret hiding spot! The next time I was being searched for, he got smarter and checked in our closet.

It’s possible that if I acted like nothing was out of the ordinary, it wouldn’t seem weird that I was quite content in my new office. If one was to do that, hypothetically speaking of course, they would in their most professional sounding voice and with a smile on their face say, “How may I help you?” Remember, when one acts like everything is perfectly normal, all others will believe it. Or not, but we do try our best in this house.

Yesterday, I had time to make a quick phone call. The boys were in the middle of some schoolwork that didn’t need my immediate attention, and my hubby was already on a phone call for work. I figured that it was safe for me to skip out for a few minutes because they’d just think I was folding clothes or something. They never know when eyes will be on them.  Remember…open floor plan.

Grabbing the phone, I ran into my closet and got comfy. While wanting to make sure everything was fine with my parents, I figured I’d take a few minutes break. I’m not sure if it was the way I was quietly talking or the lack of background noise that made my mom ask if I was in my closet. Thinking that it was getting quite ridiculous that everyone is learning about my secret hiding spot, I forgot I told her when they came to see our new place.

Even though it’s supposed to be my secret spot, I catch my hubby peeking in if I go missing for a few minutes. I was glad he did this time! The next thing I knew, he appeared with hot tea and cookies, telling me to take as long as I wanted because he got science with the boys. Yes, science is all him. I turned that over to him when they got to seventh grade.

It was nice to be getting that break and didn’t even bother me that my quiet time was occurring inside a closet. There are times when we need an escape as individuals, especially if we’re constantly together. We should never feel ashamed of having some down time.

I cherish this season that my boys are still at home. My favorite times are when we’re all together. Also, I’m excited for the future when they choose a life partner. The trust I have in their decisions makes me thrilled to have a couple girls I’ll be able to enjoy coming around so that I’m not so outnumbered! In the meantime, I’m going to make sure I get some quiet every now and then, even though my secret hiding spot isn’t so secret anymore. They respect it…for the most part!

I challenge you to find your own spot that allows you time to regroup, hear yourself think, and have a chance to pray without interruption. I would think that if Jesus found it important, we need to make it a priority. We’re being reminded to take care of ourselves physically, but I want you to remember your whole self today. That includes your spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health.

Author: Kelly Girl

I'm a Christian, a wife, a homeschool mom of two boys, and I have a pet dog...a male. I'm outnumbered! I enjoy travelling and experiencing new things with my family, reading, and seeing God's creation in nature. View all posts by Kelly Girl