I love a beautiful, peaceful, summer morning. Sipping coffee in a quiet house just as the sun is rising but before the children do. My ideal morning consists of a 6 am get up, a 30 min. exercise routine, my first cup of joe while having quiet time with my Bible, seeing my hubby off to work, and not hearing a peep from the upstairs bedrooms until at least 7:30.
Sigh...some days idealism is so far from realism. With six kids asleep in the house and 4 of them sharing a room, my mornings never quite go as planned. Often times, just the mere sound of footsteps from the room above is enough to start that adrenaline pumping and those teeth gritting. "Don't those kids know that this is my time with the Lord? Darnit, when will they learn that mom needs her morning silence!" (note to self: tomorrow morning study the Fruits of the Spirit).
The tone of the rest of my day is often determined by whether or not my morning routine goes just as planned. It's a struggle, I readily admit.
How ironic that just this morning, during a very rushed quiet time with the Lord, I discovered that Jesus himself suffered from quiet-time interruptitis.
Mark 1:35-39
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house
and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went
to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for
you!" Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else-- to the nearby villages-- so I
can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee,
preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Not that I'm comparing myself to Christ - I'm sure he got up much earlier and more consistently than I do. But, just like me, he too got interrupted by his children. "Everyone is looking for you". Boy, does that ever sound familiar. (Do you ever notice that kids are always looking for you when you're on the phone or in the bathroom? Ok - I digress.)
I find Jesus' response so amazing. No irritation, no words said in anger, no sighing or rolling of eyes. Just a pure and humble acceptance of the task at hand - go somewhere else to preach the word - that is why he came.
So tomorrow will be my test. When I hear that first child's voice calling me, even if it's before I've finished reading my Bible passage or offering up prayer requests, I will accept my task at hand. That is why I'm here.
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3 comments:
i figured out how to leave a comment! loved your thoughts on interruptions--gave me something to think about
Amy, I really enjoyed this one! I know I sturggle with this (and I only have two little ones!)It always seems to happen though... when I make an extra effort to get up early, the girls wake up earlier. Thank you for your insight! Keep them coming!
Ugh! I needed to read this today. Sounds exactly like my morning household...except my kids tend to rise between 6:30 and 7:00. Not sure who they take after there! I'll never forget Lisa Averitt telling me she decided to get up at 5:30 a.m. in order to get in her quiet time and start the day. It truly works, as I've learned. Unfortunately I have slacked off and paid for it! Thanks for this post.
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