On busy schedules and discipling our kids - with Hannah Spuler
When life gets busy, when kids and their activities multiply, it can be easy to assume something is terribly wrong and we need to cut back until we feel like we can handle it all.
However, it’s also possible that the added responsibilities are like added weights to our workout regime. It can be uncomfortable. We can mess things up and feel sore afterwards. None of that means anything is wrong. We’re just taking steps toward growth.
If we see growth, we can also experience peace, joy, and gratitude along the uncomfortable way. Our guest today, Hannah Spuler, shares about how she stays upbeat amid a busy schedule.
Hannah Spuler is a musician and picture book author living in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, six kids, and the occasional pet insect. She lives in a cheerful commotion of art projects, hearty laughter, and musical ventures. She and her husband own Catechism Music, LLC, and have just recently launched a product called WSCinME, which is the Westminster Shorter Catechism in Modern English set to music. She has a heart for Biblical culture shaping and loves all things good, true, and beautiful… except maybe sports. But she’s working on that.
You can find Hannah elsewhere online:
- Hannah’s NEW picture book, Dragon in a Dress
- Catechism Music: https://wscinme.com/
Choosing both cheerfulness and busyness
Life for Hannah is a whirlwind of activities. From early morning cross country practices to taking on the role of a class president’s mom and being deeply involved in the school musical, her days are filled with bustling and beauty.
Amidst a busy family life, Hannah is venturing into exciting projects. Her first picture book, the fruition of years of creative work, has just been released. Additionally, she and her husband have launched a catechism project that reflects their commitment to weaving Christian principles into all of life.
In our conversation, Hannah emphasizes the importance of keeping Christ at the center of family life. No matter how busy everyone gets, there’s never an excuse for sin. Sin must be dealt with quickly and constantly.
Living a life full of good activities and good works gives everyone an opportunity to be addressing conflicts, extending forgiveness, and moving forward without letting bitterness take root. In other words, everyone can practice basic Christian living.
For moms aspiring to foster a Christian family culture, Hannah encourages a personalized approach rather than attempting to cut-and-paste what another family is going. More than any one specific practice, addressing sin within the family is the key to spiritual growth at home for everyone.
Nurturing a Christ-Centered Family Culture
In part two of our conversation, Hannah shares about the origin of their family music project. It all began when her husband, Scott, stumbled upon Rev. Donald VanDyken’s book, Rediscovering Catechism. They fell in love with the Westminster Shorter Catechism, an encapsulation of biblical principles in bite-sized pieces.
Their musical endeavor was born out of a season of upheaval and questioning. The Spuler family, amidst various challenges, embraced the catechism as a guide for teaching their children essential doctrines whiling loving their God and Savior. The richness of the Westminster Confession, assembled by the Westminster Assembly 400 years ago, provided a solid foundation for their faith and discipleship.
As they studied the catechism and tried to memorize it as a family and in community, Scott, a software developer with a passion for music, decided to compose songs for each catechism question.
Faced with the challenge of the catechism’s complexity, the Spulers sought a creative solution to aid memorization. The result? Catchy, rhythmically sound songs that accent the doctrinal depth of the catechism.
Hannah reflects on the early days of the project, revealing the challenges they faced – from health issues to moving houses. Amidst some of their hardest days, Scott wrote five songs in a single sitting, setting the tone for a project that intertwined his passion for theology, programming, and music.
The Westminster Catechism is a wonderful tool for teaching doctrinal issues, fostering family discussions, and building a strong foundation of faith. The Spulers’ commitment to family worship and their intentional approach to memorization highlight the transformative power of the catechism, especially when set to memorable tunes!
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