In my world, getting up early has become the pathway to a new lease on life.
Not that I haven't tried to get up early before-- it's just that this time, things have all coalesced: no newborn, children sleeping through the night (more or less), using jetlag as a jumping off point to get my body to go to bed earlier, buying a new alarm clock, using my new alarm clock... I've been able to get myself out of bed at 6am almost every day for the past couple weeks, and it feels GREAT! (And I am NOT a morning person-- ask my husband.)
And what do I do with this whole glorious hour of free time before the kids wake up?
Today I exercised, meditated on Colossians 1:1-11, had a shower, got dressed and started making pancakes-- all before the first sound from the boys' room! I couldn't believe how alert, and ready for them, I felt. And one thing led to another-- we had the best day we've had yet. Nothing abnormal--
yet everything grace-filled.
#161-173 of the numberless gifts
a great couple hours "studying" Russian through play with Will this morning, with my friend and her little boy... Will repeated "hippo" and "giraffe" to me before his nap-- of his own accord!
Will and Ben were so tractable and obedient all day-- mostly because I didn't lose my temper and stayed in control of the boundaries... thanks to Colossians and exercise!
good food, good friends, a new cupboard, candles...
a husband who is appreciative, playful, gentle, understanding, patient (I could go on)...
this. life.
(Sounds trite? A day like this doesn't seem to come along very often...
or maybe, they do, and I just haven't noticed?)
I have been telling myself to start getting up before the children again. I had been doing it and then let the habit fall. Reading your post was the impetus I needed to really do it. This week has gone so much more smoothly.
ReplyDeleteDidn't you also mention going to be at a reasonable hour? I haven't been quite so consistent about that... sigh.
Love you!