Welcome to the eighteenth episode of The Laundry Basket Liturgy, a devotional companion for Christian mothers longing to embody shalom in the midst of their real, ordinary, everyday calling. We continue the second season of the podcast, The Quotidian Mysteries — inspired by the reflections of Kathleen Norris and centered on living into the sacredness hidden within ordinary life. In this episode, we explore the lost art of margin. Not the kind of margin that magically appears when life finally slows down, but the small spaces we learn to protect in the middle of unfinished work, ordinary responsibilities, and the constant demands of motherhood. Drawing from Jesus’ invitation in Mark 6:31 and Kathleen Norris’ reflections in The Quotidian Mysteries, we consider the possibility that what feels like “dead time” may actually be a season of hidden growth—a holy place where God is quietly at work beneath the surface. + In this episode, we explore: — Jesus' invitation to "come away" before burnout, not after it — why the deepest challenge of spiritual life may be learning to pay attention — the difference between true rest and escapism — how our culture trains us to fill every empty space — why margin is less about having free time & more about becoming available to God — how silence, waiting, and seemingly unproductive moments can become places of communion + Embodied Practice: Today, choose one ordinary task. And do it without input. No music. No podcast. No audiobook. No phone. Just the task. And your own presence. Notice what arises. Discomfort. Restlessness. Boredom. Peace. Curiosity. Whatever you notice, simply notice. And quietly whisper: “God is here too.” Allow the space to remain unfilled. + Domestic Liturgy for Today: Whenever you encounter a pause: waiting for water to boil, sitting in the school pickup line, standing at the sink, waiting for a page to load… whisper: “I do not need to fill every space.” Let the pause become prayer. Let the margin become an invitation. + Featured Quotes from this Episode “And it always seems that just when daily life seems most unbearable, stretching out before me like a prison sentence, when I seem most dead inside ... that what had seemed like ‘dead time’ was actually a period of gestation.” - Kathleen Norris, The Quotidian Mysteries “If they are wise, they treasure the rare moments of solitude and silence that come their way, and use them not to escape... Instead, they listen for a sign of God’s presence and they open their hearts toward prayer.” - Kathleen Norris, The Quotidian Mysteries “Actually, margin is not a spiritual necessity. But availability is.” - Richard Swenson + If this episode blessed you, consider sharing it with another mother who might appreciate it as well. + To receive future episodes, devotionals, and spiritual formation resources straight to your inbox, subscribe to The Kingdom Mother on Substack. You'll even receive a free gift when you do. + If you’d like to help sustain this ministry, you can become a paid subscriber on The Kingdom Mother Substack. Paying subscribers receive access to the private Kingdom Mother Community—which includes an exclusive monthly podcast/audio teaching, a monthly book club, and a private chat thread over on Substack. Your generosity helps support the writing, podcasting, and spiritual formation resources shared that serve mothers with truth, beauty, and embodied peace right in the midst of the ordinary. Get full access to The Kingdom Mother at rachaelalaia.substack.com/subscribe
