Month: March 2026

Our church typically has a week of revival meetings in March, which is happening next week Lord willing.

How can we as moms simplify for a more enjoyable week? Don’t we all know how hectic it can be?! Especially if you have little tykes and school children. And when we get frustrated, the whole family gets disorderd moods. I certainly don’t have this down pat. The week still wears me out from the aspect of going away and getting to bed later every night. But here’s some practical tips for revival survival.

● Stay Home

Not from church, but through the day. Don’t go away more than absolutely necessary. Avoid appointments or other obligations this week if at all possible. If you really need groceries, and don’t already do this, consider doing pick-up. (We’ve done this on a regular basis now for a few years. It saves multitudes of time and energy for this often weary mother.)

Staying home gives more time for keeping the house tidy, your routines in place, naps on schedule, and focusing on preparation for the evening.

● Prepare Simple Suppers

Either cook extra the week before and tuck in the freezer or plan very easy meals that require minimal prep and clean-up. Or plan crockpot meals if that’s your style. Along with this, I’m planning to use paper plates because an offspring of ours capsized on the door of the dishwasher and ruined it the other day.  You’re not wasteful if you use paper products even if your dishwasher works. You’re being efficient by simplifying for the necessary Bread of Life.

● Simplify Breakfast And Lunches

This might not apply to you, but when there’s school involved the morning after the night before, its super helpful to have quick breakfasts without much mess! I make it a point to keep at least 2 or 3 breakfast options in the freezer. This school year I have been doing this on a regular basis. This is huge for cutting down on stress for me. We generally have the same thing each week on the designated day. And I definitely want easy options when there’s a busy week!

As for lunches, I’m planning to bake a pizza early in the week for easy packing. Purchase pizza pockets if you’d rather. Or pot pies. Or make wraps. Just be prepared by having a little stash to pull out for simple lunches. Putting forethought into action is key to eliminating frazzled mornings.

● Do The Basics

This is not the week to undergo spring cleaning, major outside work, sewing projects or decluttering closets. I don’t plan anything other than the basics of cooking, laundry and cleaning. If I find time to do a little extra here or there, that’s fine. But it’s perfectly fine to do nothing else except care for your family and yourself! Take the extra time to sip your tea and relax instead of rushing on to another project. Take a nap if you can. Sit and do nothing for 15 minutes. No phone or magazine browsing. No reading. This might sound scary but its an awesome habit to cultivate on a regular basis. Productivity is not our identity. Not to speak of how much more rested our minds and bodies feel when we do this. (A work in progress over here!)

● Pack Your Diaper Bag

Every morning, check your bag and restock and prepare it for the evening. This is one less thing to do during that time crunch before rushing out the door. It won’t hurt your purse’s feelings to sit neglected for hours until the service.

● Prepare Clothes And Shoes

Especially if you have a row of preschoolers, bathe them in the afternoon before naps. And they really don’t need a bath everyday. Unless they’re a heavy spitter sort of baby or have been in the mud all afternoon. Have their clothes set out or hung aside in the closet. This makes it easier not only for you, but also when Dad or an older sibling is dressing them. And a side note, I may be old fashioned here, but don’t hesitate to hang up and re-wear clothes, for littles or yourself. If they’re not visibly dirty or smelly of course. I mean, we shower, use deodorant, sit in pews in regulated air for an hour and a half. Does every garment really need washed?

● Prepare Yourself Early

I find it helpful to shower late afternoon as well as do my hair. Having myself basically ready well before supper is a huge help. After dishes, it doesn’t take long to slip in my Sunday dress and covering. This sure beats blasting through the shower 15 minutes before its time to leave.

● Children’s Chores

Have the children do their chores as early as possible, to avoid adding to last minute rush. Also, have them wash up lunchbox and supper prep dishes, before supper. This makes clean up afterwards a breeze.

● Give Yourself Margin

A big key to eliminate a stressful week is to give yourself lots of margin. Keep your days relaxed and the unexpected won’t be as quick to trigger high blood pressure episodes.

Aim to have everyone ready to leave 10 minutes prior to departure time. Again, this gives margin for the unexpected. If there’s no unexpected, sit in your chair and congratulate yourself. Honestly, sitting for even 5 minutes before heading to church really does help achieve that calm atmosphere.

● Hosting The Preacher

Typically we have a sign up sheet to have the speaker over for a meal. This takes considerable effort for moms to juggle along with the rest of our responsibilities, but it’s a blessing to share physical food with the one who studies and prepares spiritual food for us every evening. Again- keep it simple! Prepare food the day before hosting to alleviate last minute frazzles. There’s enough to do with adding the finishing touches to the meal. Having the main dishes ready to slide in the oven long before necessary, majorly cuts down on stress. Your fridge will not be offended for hosting a casserole dish or two for an extra 24 hours. Plus, you have time to wash up cooking dishes without being in a tizzy.

My old faithful menu for preachers is taco salad. I think every one of them has always commented how good it was and how nice to have a lighter meal, after all the big meals they are typically served. Although there’s nothing wrong with serving the preacher a hearty meal. Just don’t stress it.

Keeping the house relatively tidy and giving the bathroom a quick ‘wipe swipe’, is likely enough. This is where the beauty of regular cleaning comes in. When you don’t let it get completely awful, you can skimp on the busy days, allowing more time for food prep, unexpected interruptions or other necessities the day of hosting.

● Prepare Your Heart

This should be at the top of the list, but because I was on the practical side of things, it’s listed here. We can’t expect to race through the day, pack our brains to the brim with constant activity, spin through the shower, roar off to church and expect to get revived. More than likely we’ll be nodding to sleep instead of the message. I realize with little ones, our days are still often full and noisy. I’m not talking about that. But be intentional to not plan anything else, so you can find quiet moments. Spend time praying for the speaker, the audience and especially your own heart. Ask God to show you whatever you need. Speaking to myself here. Sit in silence and muse over the previous night’s message. God speaks in a still small voice that we’re likely to miss if we don’t quiet our minds and hearts.

● Give Yourself Grace

These tips are just suggestions. My intention is not to make anyone feel guilty or inadequate for not doing them. You might run on the fly better than I. Things come up or are on the agenda that are unavoidable. And if you’re not able to make it to church on time, give yourself grace there too. God understands. Accidents happen. It’s when it becomes habitual is where the true problem lies.

And incase you wonder, my taco salad is nothing famous. Simply fix taco meat, (I add beans to it) and prep all the fixings. Shredded lettuce, diced or cherry tomatoes, shredded cheese, corn chips or crushed tortilla chips and homemade French dressing. Have the meat warm. Just before sitting down to eat, I mix everything in a large bowl and drizzle with dressing. Toss to combine and serve immediately. This pairs well with a side of biscuits and jam and sweet tea. And yes, I’m partial to Southern vibes!

What are your tips to simplify during a week of meetings? I’d love to know.