Battle of the Bed

Morning.... It's never been my best time of day. Rolling out of bed only when I absolutely have to, has been the start of my day for years; maybe my whole life. The idea of waking at the crack of dawn has never appealed to me. If I got up that early I would be so tired...and so crabby. I needed as much sleep as possible to successfully function throughout the day, right? Yep, the later my feet touched the floor, the better. Until now.

I have recently been inspired and encouraged by someone that I've always respected and admired. He reminded me (probably without even realizing that he was speaking to me personally) that my day is won (or lost) by when I choose to start and end my day. With 4 little girls I've always considered their bedtime to be "me time." Of course by evening, I'm feeling quite exhausted and run down. But I also feel the pressure to take advantage of that time to have some relaxing moments for myself and time to reconnect with my husband. So often that meant finishing the evening with a movie or something mindless. Soon I would find that it was really late at night and time for bed. I would climb the stairs extremely tired wishing I could sleep in the next morning. What a miserable rut I was in!

So...as of today I have chosen to stop that unhealthy routine. Last night I was in bed 1 to 2 hours earlier than usual and at 6:00 this morning I awoke to my husband nudging me, reminding me that it was time to start my new routine. (Okay, I actually didn't get up until about 6:10). My hubby and I came downstairs, started the coffee, grabbed our Bibles, and cozied up on the sofa in front of the fireplace. We spent about an hour doing our devotions, enjoying our coffee, and savoring the quiet moments before the kids came down. By the time I woke up my oldest daughter so she could get ready for school, I was feeling so refreshed and renewed. I was ready to start my day as a mother of 4. I wasn't running around half asleep, mumbling complaints under my breath, wanting only to return to the comfort of my bed. No! I was reflecting on what I read in Scripture. My heart was thankful, my mind clear. I would never have guessed I could feel that way before 7:00 in the morning! I have gotten up early many times before, but usually only out of obligation, or necessity; not by pure desire to take ownership of my day.

So many times before I would "fit" my quiet time with the Lord into my day. If I had a few spare minutes, I would do my devotions, not having a whole lot of time to reflect on what I had read. Sad, but true. I convinced myself that I needed that extra time to sleep every morning, because my days are so busy. It's just amazing how God has changed my view...and my desire. So often I had already lost many battles with impatience, quick-temper, and bad attitudes by the time I took time to really listen to God (my devotions). I often prayed throughout my days, always asking for His help and strength to get through the afternoon, but I didn't make "listening" a priority when I should have. I don't want to survive my day, I want to thrive in my day. I know that is what God wants for me. My flesh is strong (especially early in the morning) but I have the freedom not to give into it!

I don't think my days are going to be "a piece of cake" now, just because I've changed my priorities, but I know that how I act during my days will be more a reflection of my Heavenly Father than of a stressed out mom who's holding on by a thread.

So ask me in a month if I'm sticking to this commitment I've made. I hope I can honestly say that I am. My husband and I are taking on this challenge together, so I have his encouragement. I'm sure I will need it! Discipline is rarely easy, but always necessary. I need discipline in many areas of my life, but now I am choosing to be victorious in the Battle of the Bed!