Hello everyone. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement with my sister here from Michigan. We’ve spent nearly every day outdoors enjoying our beautiful desert spring. They enjoyed basking in the sunshine!
Today, it is time to return to the normal routine of life. One thing that I’ve been mulling over was making the switch to mornings. By nature {somewhere deep down inside of me}, I’m a morning person. But somehow in the seasons of pregnancy, babies, blogging and craving ‘alone time’, I’ve morphed into a night owl. I’ve spent many a late night lesson planning, tapping out words at the computer or just plain ol’ mindless surfing of the Internet. While the first two are necessary tasks and ones I know God is calling me to pursue, that mindless surfing is one that is not.
I have no idea who first created this graphic {I’ve searched and searched for a primary source}, but it well describes the trap I often fall into… I keep it posted as wallpaper on my desktop to remind myself to stay on task and obedient to what I’m supposed to be doing.
So today marks the first day of joining the 5am club. For the month of April, my sister and I are committing to embracing early mornings. I’m switching much of my blogging time to the morning hour and spending more of my evening time unplugged. It was so nice to spend last night with my hubby – each of us reading our book of choice. There was quiet and I was in bed, asleep before 10pm.
Are you a morning person or night owl? When do you find that you are most productive? With evenings, I can get carried away until the wee hours of the morning if I’m not careful. I tend to need deadlines, so I’m thinking that mornings will work better for me since I will need to be done before the kids wake up to start their day around 6:30…
Oh my goodness, Heather. I am SO not a morning person. I really admire you for jumping into the 5 a.m.club. I’m not sure I have enough resolve to do that! Ha!
Amanda, I’m a morning person and 5am is still REALLY early. There is no way I could be doing this if I didn’t have accountability with my sister and if I didn’t have the goal to survive a month and then decide if I want to keep going…
You’ve nailed it! I’m definitely the same way. Somehow children and homeschool and life happened and I now find myself going to bed later and later – which I hate every morning!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnmWwudeqfM For your morning pleasure!
Thank you for this challenge. I just started following you about a week ago. I have been meaning to make the switch to mornings. I love the peacefulness of early mornings, but too often I find myself trudging along at 11:00pm or later. I know my day would go along so much better if I spent some time with the Lord first thing and then had time to plan my day, and even get some work done before the children wake up. Perhaps I will join you in this challenge.
By the way, I was also homeschooled and now homeschooling. 🙂
It was difficult to pull myself out of bed this morning, but the time in the Word and collecting myself before the day began (I even got a walk in) were so helpful.
I think I’m probably similar to you in the fact that I do enjoy mornings and don’t want to sleep in, but I also enjoy the quiet of the evenings. If only I could survive (and thrive) on 5 hours of sleep a night. 🙂 I’ve often thought of getting up earlier than our usual 7am, but it’s so warm in bed… 😉
Heidi, maybe it will be easier when it gets a bit warmer up there… I have a really hard time crawling out of bed when it is cold.
You know I’m right there with you. I have to give myself guardrails so I don’t fall into that PIT!
a
Boy do I. Everytime the Holy Spirit convicts me of something, you seem to write about it within a few days. 🙂 I love the visual of guardrails!
I find that getting up early is one of those things that makes my life work – if I sleep in, the whole day is going to stink!! However, “early” for me is 6:30 a.m. right now – I definitely need to move it up! Maybe I’ll join the club too. 🙂
I’m usually a 6:30 gal, so this month of 5am is going to be a real challenge. I’m hoping that I can make good decisions with my evening hours so that I can make this adjustment…
I think I fall more into the night owl category. However, my husband and son are morning people and I am trying so very hard to be a morning person! I love your goal for the month!
I enjoy mornings and routine best. Whenever I *fall off the bandwagon*, I do need to pick up the pieces and get back to routine and structure. It’s how I’m wired. May the LORD bless you in your 5am start time!
Love to you!
Camille
I do thrive on routine, but tend to have to drag in the mud for a while before I realize that I’ve fallen off. lol. I’m so excited about the routine goal for this month. Time with the Lord before going into computer time is a great way to help me tune into the Spirit and what He would have me focus on that day…
I love your pictures & as to the morning person diagram that is hilarious. No wonder you are a good speaker — you always find the humor in what ever you are doing. I hope you have more pictures to share on facebook.