I'm so thankful that God has blessed us with the Sabbath day (Mark 2:27). God wants us to call the Sabbath a delight.

In Isaiah, it’s written, "If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on My holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, and shall honor Him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken" (Isaiah 58:13-14).

But I'm a mom. It's not like I get a day off from my "job." How am I supposed to rest and find delight in the Sabbath?

I sure did struggle with that question when I first became a mom.

Scripture calls the day before the Sabbath the “Preparation Day” (Mark 15:42). I have learned over the years just how valuable this day is, especially since becoming a mom. Proper preparation really allows me to maximize my Sabbath rest knowing everything is taken care of ahead of the Sabbath day.

Here are a few things that I like to do as part of my Sabbath preparation.

Prepare the Bags

That means my bag and my toddler's bag. My bag, of course, is the diaper bag, so I make sure I have diapers and such. Also, my Bible and notebook and snacks. And a few toys for the baby. My two-year old has her own rolling bag she brings along to church. I rotate toys out of that every week and load it up with snacks.

Prepare Breakfast for the Sabbath Day

We have morning church services, so we need to get up and go. On Friday, I prepare cereal in baggies and have our water bottles ready to go.

Prepare Potluck

Our church has a potluck meal after each Sabbath service. I prepare the meal on Friday. Or if it is something I plan to cook in the slow cooker during services, I have all the ingredients laid out and ready to be dumped in the pot Sabbath morning.

Prepare Clothes

I always pick out the clothes that my girls and I are going to wear to church. No decisions have to be made Sabbath morning as we are rushing around.

Prepare the House

A clean house makes for a happy mom (or at least it does for me). On Fridays I make sure to clean the floors, pick up random objects and have the kitchen counters cleaned off. With that taken care of, I can go into the Sabbath evening with no extra mess to clean up, and it helps to come home Saturday afternoon after church to a clean house. It sets the mood for relaxation and focus; no distractions.

Prepare the Kids

We start the Sabbath off with fun family time. Our Friday night tradition is making homemade pizza. Everyone helps out with that. We then enjoy a nice evening of eating, talking and studying God’s word. On Sabbath day, after services, we might take a walk around the yard or take a nap (maybe Dad can take the kids so mom can rest?) or read together. We try to make the Sabbath enjoyable, relaxing and focused for all.

Prepare My Mind

Sabbath services can be a challenge with a two-year-old and a six-month-old (as I know any parent can relate to). It can be very difficult for me to stay focused and feel spiritually fed. In order to overcome this, I have found ways to find quiet study time on my own. Sometimes, I get up earlier on Sabbath morning to have quiet alone time, or sometimes I am able to find time on Friday night after the kids go to bed.

All these little steps help me, as a mom, find delight in the Sabbath. How do you use the Preparation Day?