My Three Morning Lessons

I learned three important lessons this morning, all between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. The main idea rolling through my mind was, "It's way too early to start making lemonade."

This week was much smoother. I made progress with my writing, and I adjusted better to the transition. My quiet times each morning have been purposeful and filled with peace. The assurance of following God's plan has lifted my spirit. So when the lemons started rolling in late last night, I should have been better prepared - armed with His Word and ready to fire off prayers as needed.

Lemon #1 showed up as lack of sleep. My husband's new work schedule is just plain crazy, so when he woke me at 12:30, after I'd only slept about an hour, it took a few minutes for my brain to register the next lemon.

"The car won't start."

This meant he needed to take the other car. So I'm lying there in bed half asleep when it hits me. I can't get everyone where they need to go. My initial reaction was shameful. It's a bad habit I have. Yes, Warfield, I am admitting - in writing - that I was wrong. Instead of doing what I needed to do first (pray), I jumped on the defensive. The lack of sleep just exacerbated my response.

I realize what I did was what I do too often. I used prayer as a last resort, not my first response. If I had taken this approach, I probably would have remembered the AAA benefit before my husband pointed it out to me (another painful admission).

Thankfully, I was able to get everyone where they needed to be on time this morning. When I went to Auto Zone, I discovered they were having a rough day too. The computers were down, but I was able to get a new battery. The beauty of cash. My 198,000 mile Mitsubishi was ready for another beating running kids all over town.

The three lessons learned this morning:
1. Pray first. How many times do I have to do this before I get it right?
2. Renew the AAA membership every year. Just for my peace of mind. 24 hour roadside assistance means I can call at 4:30 a.m. and have someone sent out to help me.
3. Carry cash. You never know when technology will fail, especially if you urgently need something.

What lessons have you learned this week?

Goal 1: My Faith

Last week, I wrote about how I make goals for myself now instead of setting new year resolutions.  If you missed it, you can read it here.  I've been working on these goals pretty steadily for a few weeks, with some help from a few blogs and sites that I follow. 

I thought I would do something a little different for my posts in the month of January.  I need some accountability.  What I'm going to do for each post in January is share my goals I've set for a specific area of my life.

This week, I'm starting with the most important one.  Without goals to enrich my faith in God, none of the other areas of my life would matter.  When I don't put Him first, everything else falls apart.  In a big way.  It is probably the most vulnerable area of my life to share as well, but here goes.

1.  Put my daily quiet time first, at the beginning of the day. 
This means I have to make myself get up long before I start waking up kids.  I've been convicted about the amount of time I spend doing other things, but that my quiet time reading the Bible and praying has been "fit in" when I have time.  Translation:  I usually nod off if I push this to the evening.  This week, I've started setting my alarm to get up with plenty of time, so I'm not rushed.  I've also found that I get much more accomplished by putting things in the right order.

2.  Read through the book of Psalm and Proverbs one time each month.
I've posted on this before, and I want to have more praise, comfort, and wisdom present in my life.  What better way to do this than to read the books through at least twelve times?

3.  Memorize one new scripture a week.
I started a spiral notebook several months ago to do this, but it has since become a little dusty.  I dusted it off, and began this week with the last one I had written down.  "Let  no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29.  Let me assure you, I'm being tested with this one daily.  I need it imprinted in my mind.

These three goals will definitely challenge me, but my hope is that by sharing them, I will keep it up throughout the year.