in the morning

Yesterday I wrote about my favorite kind of day, the kind when I clean out and organize an area of my home.  What I did not write, because I did not think of it at the time, was how aggravated I was yesterday morning when I first woke up.  Yes, sometimes I just wake up cranky, I know I am not alone in this.

I didn't sleep well Tuesday night, I had crazy weird dreams, and when I woke up later than I wanted to yesterday, I was just plain ole grumpy.  I sat down at my kitchen table to read my Bible and drink my first cup of coffee, and what I was reading was not the "feel good" kind of passages in the Bible.  I was in the first few chapters of Jeremiah, and it's hard to read.

To top all that off, as if this isn't bad enough, when I finished my Bible reading, and went to pray, my boys came barreling into the kitchen.  I literally was JUST opening up my prayer notebook when this happened.  I so bad wanted to snap at them to ask them to please just give me ten minutes of quiet, but I didn't.  So because I didn't have a really good time of quality prayer in the morning, I prayed "popcorn prayers" all day.
And those aren't bad, I'm not saying that.  Sometimes that is literally all we have time for!  But after a day full of activity and a good night's rest (last night), this morning, I was ready for some really good time in prayer.  And what do you think happened?  Right as I opened my prayer notebook this time, again, two more boys came into the kitchen.  This time I did ask them to give me twenty minutes, that I would help them with breakfast at nine thirty.  Sometimes a whole hour will go by without me even realizing.  The amount of time is not the point, the point is just that it's important to pray.

I think it's especially important to do this first thing in the morning.  In fact, there are verses that talk about that time frame in the Bible.  One of them is from Psalm 5:3.

"Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD.  Each morning I bring my requests to You and wait expectantly."

In the morning, before the distractions of the day begin.  And sometimes, even after the distractions have already begun!  But that is okay~ask for more time, or if you have little bitty ones, pray while they play or watch a show on television.  That's what I used to do when mine were small.  And during that time, it's not reasonable to think that you have a whole hour to pray, the point is just to pray and to give to the Lord whatever time you do have.  Ask Him to multiply your time~I've done that, too.  And He has come through for me, by making sure I had little or no interruption.

Add to prayer some time to spend in God's word.  There are so many Bible reading plans to choose from, thanks to the internet and smart phones.  Find one that works for you and get in God's word.  I rarely spend time reading devotionals nowadays, even though I used to love them.  I found that I was enjoying the story part of them too much and not reading enough of the actual Bible.

I pray this encourages someone this morning, and that if you haven't already had this time with the Lord, to maybe make that time now.  It's not too late, it never is, but when you do this in the morning, it's amazing how much better your day goes.  Take that time for yourself, Mom's.  It's way more important than going to the gym or getting your nails or hair done.  (Preaching to the choir here.)  And while you pray, don't forget to add yourself in there~I heard a lady say one time that if we don't pray for ourselves as wives and moms, then we will get burned out, with not much of anything to give to our family.  I always pray that I long for more of the Lord and that I display the fruits of the Spirit and that I am dressed in spiritual armor (Galatians 5:22-23 and Ephesians 6).

Enjoy that time with Him today.  Love to all.