Last week we discussed the early morning. Today I would
like to discuss another part of the morning. The breakfast
hour. I find that I get a lot of my work done in this important
time of the day. Why? I have just slept (hopefully...smile) and
feel refreshed spiritually and physically after spending time
with The Word in the earlier portion of my day. I have prayed
for His priorities, at His pace, in His peace, and for His praise
in this new day. I now begin the morning hours with my ears and
eyes attentive to Him. To help keep my focus on Him, I put on
beautiful, soft praise music while working quietly in the kitchen
as the sun is beginning to rise. The children are still asleep
and my husband has just left for work. This is another favorite,
favorite time of the day for me. I love to work in my bathrobe.
I can do some of my finest morning work in this soft, flowing
garment! So I get myself ready for the day bit by bit. First I
will wash my face and moisturize. Then I'll go and start the
wash while waiting for the moisturizer to "set." Then I'll come
back and put on a light base as my skin is blotchy. While this
is "setting", I will go and start my bread. Next I'll put on the
lower half of my clothes so that I can keep my bathrobe on a
little longer, then I'll go and start my main dish for dinner
while munching on a piece of toast or a bowl of granola. I'll
make our bed and tidy up the living room as I move about, then
fix my hair.
When my kids start spilling out I am half way dressed and have
quite a bit done, but I still have the pleasure of greeting them
in my soft robe. My little ones love to cuddle with me in the
morning in my rocking chair for a few minutes, especially in the
winter. I usually grab my older boys and give them a big good morning
"smack" on the cheek. They love that! Ha! Once everyone is up, I am
setting out chore lists for my four children. They each have four chores
a day. I rotate their chores so that they can learn to do everything
in the house and many outside duties as well. Last week my oldest was
learning to cut up a whole chicken, so it went on his chore list. They
do such a wide range of chores that they are never bored and never know
what to expect when they get up. I am teaching them all to cook, so
many days there is a cooking chore on their list as well. They make
most of the breakfasts which include: raisin scones, swedish pancakes,
blueberry pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, egg and corn burritos with
salsa, breakfast burritos, omelets, waffles, oatmeal, hash browns,
oatmeal muffins, fresh juices, and blueberry muffins. I just put in
"my order" on one of their chore lists. We work together well, especially
with loud praise music! My older boys have some favorite music by Jars of
Clay, Point of Grace, Amy Grant, and The Kry. This is their time to choose
the music, so off goes my quiet praise music and on goes their praise music.
(We live in the country so it is not a bother to anyone.) I enjoy working
with my kids. Sometimes we dance or sing together while working. I continue
my cooking along with them while stopping, if necessary, to encourage them
in their work or to explain a new chore to them. Sometimes it is to call
them back and have them redo the work, especially if they knew how to do
it well in the first place. I consider this a very important part of the
day in the training of my children.
We begin our homeschool studies while eating breakfast. My kids like to
get a beat on math as this is our most trying subject of the day. So
before school really begins, they are pleasantly "getting ahead" by doing
their math while eating breakfast. I have taught them to get the most
unpleasant task out of the way first. What a change in our school day
since they began to practice getting ahead of themselves on their most
trying academic challenge. And since the mind is very "keen" in the morning
(if they have slept well), then we have less hassles over this particular
subject when it is completed early.
Off comes the bathrobe now, the phone is shut down during school hours,
and the day is in full swing! This morning, the kids are doing math and
eating waffles. Dinner is in the crock pot and the bread is rising. The
salad is in the fridge. One load of wash is out. Sixteen chores have been
completed by my four children. Soft praise music is now filtering through
the kitchen as I put the finishing touches on my outfit for the day. And
I am thanking God for His Work in the morning in this house. Is it like
this every morning? No. Sometimes I am dealing with discipline issues
which gets us off track. Sometimes my folks are over as there is something
they need to talk over with me. Sometimes I am sick or one of my children
is sick. Sometimes someone calls early in the morning with a problem I had
not forseen. Sometimes...sometimes... But those "sometimes" are in His Hands
as well as the scheduled times. And so I strive for mornings like the one
today and give them over to Him one way or another. For if I aim for nothing,
I will surely get it.
So I try to aim a little higher each day believing the Proverbs 31 passage
for myself while praying to learn a little more of "her" ways this day for
His Glory; and starting it all as best as possible in the first corner of
the day called The Morning. For if the "morning corner" starts off strong,
I find the rest of the day to follow that much more smoothly.
Love to you,
Laine