My husband, Keith, gets up every morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed - eager to start the day.
I am not this way.
They say opposites attract. I'm quite certain, if Keith had seen the morning version of Marci prior to our marriage, he might not have found me so attractive.
I'm just not what you would call "a morning person". I don't wake up with a smile on my face. I don't jump out of bed. I don't sing happy songs.
I have to force my eyes open, and convince myself it is time to get up. I give myself a little pep talk, hoping it will inspire me to pull the covers off and crawl out of bed. It's time to get up. It's after 8. Look at all you have to do today. You should get up, so you can get started. At this point, I normally ignore myself, roll over and go back sleep.
Twenty minutes later, I try again. It's 8:30. You have to get up. The boys are already up. You should be up.
Before I know it, it's 9am. If you don't get up now, you are the worst mother in the world.
This works EVERY time. I'm up. I'm not fully awake, but I am up. So I'm not the worst mother in the world, right?
My husband and kids are used to this by now. It takes Mommy a good thirty minutes to wake up AFTER she gets out of bed.
If any one speaks to me during that first half hour, they rarely receive an audible response. It's more like a growl. Thankfully, they find this amusing. Also, thankfully, I'm too tired to actually bite their heads off.
As you might have guessed, this is an area of my life that I've determined needs improvement.
Sooooo.... for the last week, I've tried to think about God
as soon as I wake up. This helps me to remember to pray. (I'm ashamed to admit that I have to remind myself
to pray in the morning, but I do.) Good morning, God. It's me, Marci. I'm so tired. I don't want to get out of bed, but I know I should. Please give me the strength to get out of bed.
On the days I've remembered to have this conversation with God as soon as I wake up, it's like I come
to life quicker – in fact, almost immediately.
Focusing on God the moment I open
my eyes, (okay, maybe a few minutes after I open my eyes) helps me to greet the
day ahead on a positive note.
So I find myself actually awake as I start my morning routine - go to the bathroom, wash my hands, make the bed... Because I am awake and able to think, then I take the time to sit down and spend a few more minutes in prayer.
This is a new task on my morning routine to-do list. I want to be sure I don't forget to thank God or to ask Him to be with me throughout my day. So, with the help of Cindi Wood, author of Victoriously Frazzled: The Frazzled Female's Guide to Restoring Her Sanity (I highly recommend this awesome Bible Study), I've adopted a Morning Prayer Checklist. It looks like this...
1. Recite Psalm 5:3 - My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord, in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.
2. Pray Psalm 143:8 - Cause me to hear they lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
3. Thank God - Thank you for saving me and for pursuing a love relationship with me.
4. Ask God - Please intervene in the specifics of my day ahead. I tell God what I have planned for the day, and ask Him to lead my feet and guide my heart as I do these things.
5. Listen to the Good Morning song - I am a huge fan of Mandisa. My absolute favorite song right now is her Good Morning song. It's the perfect words and music to get me started on the right track.
I've inserted a link to Cindi Wood's Bible Study available at LifeWay Christian Stores...
as well as a link to Mandisa's Good Morning song...
"I can feel the hope that's rising in me"
I hope you find this helpful.
God bless!!!
Phil 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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