How thankful I am that we have a God who is just, but merciful as well. Being a wife and mom has made me more aware of where I am lacking and how I need to keep striving.
I think the hardest thing for me right now is getting up early. I so long to be like the Proverbs 31 woman who "rises while it is yet night." I have read some of your blogs and know that many of you are doing so well with this! If you are either doing well in this area, or struggling some like I am, I would love to hear from you!!
Here's our evening to morning routine:
7 PM: The girls now go to bed at the same time, Lena sometimes slightly later then Shae. Lena so looks forward to her time with Daddy, and talks about it off and on throughout the day. After dinner and devotions, the two of them usually have playtime. I clean up the kitchen, make lunch for the next day and make a pot of decaf coffee. Shae and I then have a few moments to relax, cuddle (which she doesn't really like to do too much unless she's sleepy), and I give her her last feeding.
7:30PM-10:30PM:When the girls are safely in bed, I look forward to my time with my husband! We talk, drink a cup of decaf, take care of household business, and watch a movie at times. In the summer, we are sometimes outside talking to the neighbors. I'm telling you ladies, when I don't get this time, I miss it soooo much.
I guess all of this is to say that I don't really want to go to bed any earlier.
Anywhere from 4:30-5:30am: Shana wants to eat - she'll go back to sleep until about 6:30.
6:15 ish AM: Husband is up, I am usually struggling to even want to open my eyes. What I wish I did was get up to make him a hot breakfast with a bright smile and happy inside!
He rarely gets a hot breakfast during the week if he leaves before 7am - I will sometimes make something the night before, but have fallen off the path with this too!!
7:30AM: If husband is still home, we eat breakfast together, but if not, I am up with the girls to start our day.
By the way, I do get quiet time with the Lord! Lena has quiet reading time at 8:30-9:30 in her room. Shana naps at the same time. So I usually have an hour to myself in the morning.
I am NOT a morning person, friends. I am perfectly happy after I down that first cup of coffee, but before that, I am a shell of my real self! Any ideas? I want to do better with this.
Husband and Shana are ever so happy in the morning. They smile and laugh to welcome the day. Lena and I are ve-ry quiet for an hour or so.
Also, I'm looking for recipes for make ahead breakfasts. I may be a little delirious in the morning, but I am perfectly able to turn my oven on and warm something up!
11 comments:
I don't blame you at all, Bev for how you feel. Shana won't always be getting up that early. You are doing the best you can, so don't worry too much about it.
Hi Bev, Not sure how helpful this will be...but at least you will know you are far from alone...I too had read many blogs of mothers and wives who "rise while it is yet night" and wanted to follow suit... last Lent that is what I chose to take up. It was great to start with I have to say to have that quiet time before anyone else arose. I tried to get up half an hour before the little one, but this meant 5 or 5.30 at least. And I soon was so tired that I was getting grumpy in spite of my starting the day with the Lord. I also found I was rushing through my bible and prayers to get done before I heard that crying from upstairs of R waking up, which is really the last thing to do isn't it? In short I stopped that, and didn't even make it through Lent I'm afraid. Maybe if i had I'd still be doing it now....
...anyway, now I simply try to pray before getting out of bed, read Word for the Day with all the family at breakfast, say my prayers for the day from the 40 day prayer notebook I wrote (each day has one thing to pray for each for me, husband, boys plus one family member and one friend) when I have quiet moments in the kitchen, listen to some christian radio throughout the day, and bible read & prayers at night.
I have found this so helpful really to relax and do what I can, what works in this season. Sometimes I feel that I am "failing" not having more quiet time, and more in depth quiet time...but it feels right x
Will really look forward to reading the comments here and finding more wisdom.
God bless x Victoria x
Oh...and the banana bread recipe is yummy for breakfast with a little butter...not hot though.
Pancakes may work ok for you, I sometimes weigh out the dry ingredients and the wet separately before bed, ready to just mix up in the morning....can do with muffins too. We mostly have porridge in the winter weekdays though, and cook something more special at the weekends only.
Sorry for this long long comment!!
I have plans to post my hot cereal muffins recipe on the personal blog, but haven't gotten to that yet. They're perfect for warming up and great nutrition. You remember them? Great with peanut butter or cottage cheese. Stay tuned...
Dear Beverly, You are doing wonderful!!! connie
Yours truly is a night owl. God created me that way, so I see no point in changing. LOL! I don't turn into a human until 11 am. You are in good company.
Here's a thought--since you seem to be more of a night owl, would you be able to have your quiet time in the evenings instead? I find that when there is a nursing baby in the house, you kind of have to do whatever you can to work a quiet time into your day! Remember, God's Word says that He also wants to give us 'rest'---I know God understands the life and responsibilities of a young mother, and wants to meet you wherever and whenever you can---even if it's not the 'Proverbs 31, bright and early' time :) At least, this is what I keep telling myself as well ;)
Yes, I think sometimes we create legalisms in our own hearts that need purging, at least I know I do that from time to time. This really is a special season for us Bev, so short really. Some day very soon, we will find the order of our days we are longing for. But for now, cereal breakfasts are just great! I try to remember that there are so many who would love to have a bowl of cereal with fresh milk in the morning for breakfast who don't have it. There will be plenty of time for hoity toity hot breakfasts and expanding our gourmet cooking skills. Besides, it makes the weekends special, something to look forward to. And as for the quiet times, I am learning that keeping my Bible open on the counter or dresser, chewing on a few verses at a time as I pass and go about daily tasks is a great way to keep plugged into the Word for we busy mama's who do a lot more responding and who have a little less predictability than we'd like. Have grace for yourself sweet friend! God loves you and meets you right where you are at.
Love, Sarah
there are some of us who are morning people...but we are not very good company after 9 PM... so don't be too hard on yourself...
I'm sure that some people would like for me to be a little more lively in the night time... my kids know not to call us after 9 pm because we are either already in bed or sleeping in front of the T.V.
I love to visit on your blog...and hear of your day to day family happenings...
blessings,
Mimi
I'm there with you! I prefer to go to bed around 11-11:30 and sleep until 7:30-8...with a few breaks in between usually for the girls. ;) My Dh loves to be asleep by 10 and up by 5, which makes me even more frustrated with my sleep cycle. Like others have mentioned, this often means my quiet time is at night...but it would do more for me to start my day in the Word. You've challenged me, Beverly. Thank you!
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Beverly, I am definitely not a morning person either. I would like to share a little with you and this comes humbly from a sister who has been on her journey with the Lord for 60 years. I do not believe tht Proverbs was meant to be used as law and legalism. Neither does the Bible tell us we MUST read Bible and pray at a certain time. What it does say is "Pray without ceasing" That has no time scale. How can we do that, without ceasing, we have to eat and sleep. I believe our life is a prayer as we go about our duties mindful of that life within us that is Jesus Christ himself.
Galations 2.20. He is the life within us that guides and motivates us at any given moment. It's called 'living in the Spirit'. He is our keeper, He will guide us and motivate us as we trust Him to do that. No more striving but resting in Him.He can and will lead you. Trust Him and say goodbye to the condemnation.
Blessings.
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