Ministry while being a full-time mum

It's a topic that I've been thinking about recently. What can I do, how can I do it, who with, where to find time to do it etc. Last week I read the series on Nicole's blog about 'Missional Motherhood' and on Sunday the sermon at church also touched on the subject (it was on Isaiah 58).

Through these and my general thinking, I've realised that what I need to be doing is making a bigger effort with the people I have contact with already on a day to day basis. In particular the children that Ben has made friends with (at Playgroup and Kindy) and their families - both getting to know them better and making them a part of my everyday life. I don't need to organise particularly special activities/events, just try to include them in everyday events such as going down to the local park or coming over for a morning coffee.

I've also been challenged by a chapter in Kent and Barbara Hughes book Disciplines of a Godly Family about family ministry - (although I own the book, I haven't got around to reading it yet, so I'm working from Nicole's summary). In particular about 'keeping an open house', making our house a place where our children like to be and feel comfortable inviting friends over (and who also will feel comfortable being here), so I can get to know their friends more and therefore we can do ministry together as a family. I haven't had much experience of seeing this modeled when I was a child - I don't remember going over to friends houses much or having friends at my house much - so it doesn't tend to come instinctively to me.

To put these thoughts into practice, I'm going to attempt to invite some of the kids and mothers that Ben has made friends with at Playgroup and Kindy over to our house during the coming school holidays (as I'm back in Oz for the next fortnight and therefore school holidays start when we get back). And obviously hopefully continue from there into the next term - although the birth of number 3 will put a bit of a speed bump in there somewhere.