A Mama's Early Morning Prayer

All I can say is this is one excellent post written by my friend, Niki from For Journey's Sake.

Beep-Beep-Beep!

My arm feels like it weighs a ton as I fumble for the snooze button.  It can’t be morning already – can it?  It feels like my head hit the pillow only moments before.

I try to pry my eyes open to see what time it is.   Oh good grief!  My pillow and I found each other only a few hours before.

“How am I ever going to make it, Lord?”  I whine in my thoughts.  “I stayed up late doing the many things a mommy does.  I cleaned the kitchen, folded the laundry so everyone would have underclothes to put on the next morning, planned out home school lesson plans, tweaked our schedule a bit, checked my email, popped on face book real quick, and then fell into bed.”

“What could you have done differently today?”  I heard the Lord softly reply.

“Well, I could have turned the computer off while my little one was reading to me.  But Lord, I had to share my blog post on that link-up, read up on how to design my blog for free, update my status on facebook, and research how to make a healthy herbal tincture for my family’s immune system.” 

“Really?”  He asks.  “But I gave you the chance to spend quality time with my blessings.”

“But, Lord, everything I did today was either educational or beneficial to the family.  Even when I was texting my friend, we were talking about where I could find the healthiest recipe for supper.”

I feel His disappointment as He says, “I gave you blessings to shape and mold.  I asked you to teach them my precepts and commandments, to show them how to love and serve others, and to teach them how to live in a dark, godless world and be the light. 

I want you to show your daughters how to honor and respect their daddies in preparation for their role as a help meet someday, and to teach your sons to work by the sweat of their brow to someday provide for their family.

I asked you to model character traits found in the pages of my Letter to you.  Your children will therefore, know what is important to me and be productive, moral, and upright citizens in this world.

Was your time spent doing that today?  Did you model a good steward of your time when your internet history shows you spent three hours on facebook alone?

Did you model a soft answer when you yelled at my blessing because he interrupted you again while you were texting that friend?

Was my grace modeled when your littlest one spilled grape juice on the carpet for the second time today?”

I sigh.  I realized He had given me another day to do things better!  He hadn't told me how awful I was or that my computer and phone were evil and I needed to trash and smash them! 

No, He had lovingly held me in His arms while I was in that half-wake-half-sleep stage.  While I was whining about how I was going to be able to get out of bed, He was gently reminding me of the bigger picture:

My calling as a mommy.

My mind wandered a bit:  

She will only be three once and want me to read to her the same book for the 27^th time today.  She will only be seven once and want to talk my ear off.  He will only be thirteen once and leave a trail behind him for me to pick up.  He will only be sixteen once and enjoy flexing his muscles for me to brag on.  She will only be eighteen once and…WAIT!  She is eighteen??  Where did the time go?  It seems like yesterday she was three and asking me to read to her again.

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“Thank you, Lord, for the talk we had this morning.  Forgive me for being selfish.  Give me grace when my energy runs low and my patience wears thin.  Help me to model Your character.  Show me how to keep my priorities in right order.  Surround me with Your strength when temptation comes and help me to make choices I will never regret. 

Thank you, Father, for leaving Your Letter to guide me.  Lead me to the specific Scriptures that will challenge my heart in a deeper way.  I appreciate a brand new start today.”

Dressing quickly, I grab my Bible, and head to the kitchen table to enjoy a cup of coffee before my day officially starts.  It won’t be long until I hear the pitter-patter of little feet coming down the hall.

Many things try to distract this mommy. Sometimes I justify where I spend my time because I am learning how to do something to benefit the family or encouraging a friend.

Scheduling my day and ignoring the pull of the internet, books, games, etc. to spend more time with the children God has blessed me with is more rewarding in the end.  After all, eighteen comes way too quickly.

Blessings to you today,

Niki enjoys homeschooling her five children, homemaking, sewing, and creating inspirational art for the home.  She has been married for twenty years to her best friend, Steve. They have two precious blessings resting in the arms of Jesus. Their family has enjoyed working together in children's ministry since 1992 and Niki is currently working towards getting her first children's book published.  She is the blog author of For Journey's Sake  and can also be found on face book writing about her passion to mentor and encourage women on their life’s journey.