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She gets up while it is still dark... Proverbs 31:15
Have you ever read my blog before? I know I have mentioned more than once that I am NOT a morning person! I do not like mornings, Sam I am. I do not like them east or west. I do not think that they are best! (My apologies to Dr. Seuss).
I could write a post on how important it is to rise early and get things done before your family rises, but I'd be a hypocrite. I'm usually one of the last two who wake up in my house. What else can we learn from this passage (I'm not dodging early rising, but I don't feel I'm in a place to write about that.)?
How do these words help us better appreciate variety in our families?
My daughter is a morning person, up with the sun (and long before in winter), she embraces the day with gusto. She bounds out of bed ready for what's to come. No surprise, I drag miles behind. Her early morning chattering sometimes (often before coffee) makes me edgy. How does she have so much energy?
She usually comes to my room to wake me up. "Mommy, do you want a snooze?" she asks, giggling. I pat her on the head a couple times and say, "Yes, that's my snooze button." Off she runs, laughing down the stairs to get her cereal. I burrow deeper into the covers for just a few more minutes of sleep, half-sleep really. I know she'll be back soon, announcing grandly, "Snooze is over!"
By 7:00 p.m., she'll crash -- hard -- ready for bed. Me? I'm finally warmed up, ready for whatever comes next, chores, work, play, anything.
I know God didn't put my daughter in my life to be my alarm clock or to annoy me first thing. Perhaps, He knows I need to get up earlier and appreciates that I wouldn't ignore her like I do the alarm clock (the real one that has a permanent shutoff button). Maybe He knows I need some refining in the areas of grace and patience. Whatever His purpose in putting us all under one roof, I have only two choices -- accept it or put a pillow over my head.
And maybe that's exactly what He wants, for us night owls to appreciate that we are given a whole day to worship Him. And for early birds to understand that the day doesn't end when they do. We can learn a lot from each other, once we stop bickering about waking up too early or it being too noisy at night.
To go deeper, meditate on these verses:
How do these words help us better appreciate variety in our families?
My daughter is a morning person, up with the sun (and long before in winter), she embraces the day with gusto. She bounds out of bed ready for what's to come. No surprise, I drag miles behind. Her early morning chattering sometimes (often before coffee) makes me edgy. How does she have so much energy?
She usually comes to my room to wake me up. "Mommy, do you want a snooze?" she asks, giggling. I pat her on the head a couple times and say, "Yes, that's my snooze button." Off she runs, laughing down the stairs to get her cereal. I burrow deeper into the covers for just a few more minutes of sleep, half-sleep really. I know she'll be back soon, announcing grandly, "Snooze is over!"
By 7:00 p.m., she'll crash -- hard -- ready for bed. Me? I'm finally warmed up, ready for whatever comes next, chores, work, play, anything.
I know God didn't put my daughter in my life to be my alarm clock or to annoy me first thing. Perhaps, He knows I need to get up earlier and appreciates that I wouldn't ignore her like I do the alarm clock (the real one that has a permanent shutoff button). Maybe He knows I need some refining in the areas of grace and patience. Whatever His purpose in putting us all under one roof, I have only two choices -- accept it or put a pillow over my head.
And maybe that's exactly what He wants, for us night owls to appreciate that we are given a whole day to worship Him. And for early birds to understand that the day doesn't end when they do. We can learn a lot from each other, once we stop bickering about waking up too early or it being too noisy at night.
To go deeper, meditate on these verses:
- Psalm 30:11-12, "You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, that my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever..."
- Psalm 22:27, "All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will worship before You."
- Psalm 74:8, "My mouth is filled with Your praise and with Your glory all day long.
Consider these questions:
Are you a morning person or a night owl, and how does that affect the other people in your home?
Regardless of when you wake up, does your day begin with worship? Are you thankful for another day to worship God with your life?
What can you do, practically, to help the early birds and night owls in your family get along better at those crucial points in the day?
Pray:
Ask God's forgiveness for your shortcomings, whether you're worst in the morning or late night.
Lay your family's schedule, and personalities, at His feet and ask His guidance in helping you appreciate each other's differences.
Worship Him, throughout the day, sing His praises (out loud is totally okay, but at least sing in your heart).
Please let me know how I can pray for you. After you leave a comment, be sure to visit the other bloggers in this series:
13 Bloggers, 13 topics, One Great God.
- Using Skills to Contribute to Family/2 better than 1
- The Fear of the Lord/ Satisfied by Love
- Using time wisely/Blessed Beyond Measure
- Taking care of needy/ Shadow Wonder
- Using money wisely/Jennifer Sikora
- Keeping an eye on home/Just a Glimpse
- She can laugh at the days ahead/ Faith Filled Food for Moms
- Clothed in strength and dignity/One thing I’ve Learned
- Taking care of others/ 2 savvy gals
- Being Creative/A Patchwork Mommy
- Bringing Variety to Family/ Karen Dawkins
- Extending your Hand to the Poor/ Women’s Fellowship House
- Organization/Teaching what is Good
Love,
10 comments:
I've got my early morning riser alarm too. The one I can't turn off(my son), I only get to "press" snooze once and it's my phone. I set it to "kids place" and he plays games and then comes back to get me up. haha I was a night owl once upon a time, and I LOVE sleep. The Lord has shown this to me, and slowly He has taken my sleep away, and while it's hard, I've learned a lot along the way. :)
Oh, I am such a morning person, as is my son. We wake up ready to eat, start the day, and ready to go. We both run ragged all day and crash at night. My husband and daughter, not so much. They wake slowly, move slowly, but could stay up all night. Genetics?
The only difference between my son and I is that I try to be quiet when others are sleeping and his volume button seems to be broken. :)
But I do LOVE mornings! The start of the day seems so hopeful to me, with endless opportunities to make the day wonderful. I do try to meditate and give thanks for the day before it starts. I notice a huge difference when I do this versus when I choose to sleep a few minutes more. A great practice to keep.
My daughters are the same. today they got up at 6:20. It wasn't even light yet. Ugh
My daughter is no different... doesn't matter what time I out her to bed... she is the first up! I used to be a morning person myself, but as of late... I just can't get enough sleep. I certainly used to get more done... the only thing I can think of is "the change of life"... ugh!!
Karen...I am a morning person ONLY when its summer...and the sun is shining ready to greet me! Every other time I am exactly like you...one of the last up!!! yikes!!
Love this post...and I am off to do some of the homework! LOL!
Oh I am like you! I'd be content if we could all sleep until we wake up and go to bed whenever we are tired :) But my little one rises earlier than I would and I have learned to wake earlier than her now so that I can spend time in God's word and in prayer before we get going. I find I adjust to mornings better when I have some time in a quiet house before our day gets moving.
I admire all of you who adjusted to arise early. For me, I am thankful now that my kids are school age and accept a quiet hour before mom really engages in life. :) I still get a morning quiet time, with my coffee, just not before they get up.
Apparently, our family is adjusting to the various drumbeats by which we all march. :)
I am actually a night-owl by nature, but try to get up an hour and a half before everyone else. That way I do my devotionals first, then work on the computer. Love the Bible verses you have listed!
These days I'm both. I stay up late, after everyone is asleep, and enjoy the unlimited quiet. I read, write, and catch up on the leftovers of the day. I get up early when the house is still quiet and have time for meditation and more writing. And coffee, of course!
I'm not a morning person either but I'd like to get up at 6am every morning to get started on working early- it just never happens. The result is I have to stay up working until about 12 midnight.
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