How a night owl became an early bird

I have never been a morning person.  My school days with their 7:15 bus pick up were torture.

As I got older I acquainted myself with caffeine.  When coffee proved to be devastating to my internal organs, I switched to tea.  Something had to get me through the day after burning the 2:00 am oil!

This habit became entrenched when, as a young mom with frequent nighttime nursers, I got used to spending the beginning of each morning in bed.  I enjoyed snuggling and playing with my little ones at the start of the day, but breakfast at 9:00 was just too late for everyone.  When our oldest reached school age I knew it was time to get the breakfast plan under control.  But I still never rose before dawn.

Over the years I had awakened early at one time or another, but never with any consistency.  About a year ago, I spent some time with a cousin who rises at 5:30 each morning.  Her family was very organized and her life seemed to flow effortlessly.  But 5:30?!  I decided to try.

It was hard at first but fruitful.  The problem?  I still could not seem to go to bed early.  I would become more and more exhausted, and eventually the whole schedule would implode.

Last August I began writing again regularly.  It was a good thing for me, but I was very concerned that it not detract in any way from the life of my family.

In September, I read that Kat from Inspired to Action was teaming up with Michelle from So I Married A Mennonite to challenge moms to be intentional about their morning time.  With great trepidation, I decided to join the challenge starting October 1.  I did okay with it, but it wasn't until I re-committed in November and joined the twitter accountability group that I began to see real change.

I was going to bed earlier and getting up earlier.  Months of waking in the dark grew a passion in me for those still early hours.  I lingered over my bible and in my prayer time.  No need to rush!

I decided to use that early time for writing as well, but found that because I did not want to feel hurried in my prayer and study, I needed to set my internal clock back a bit more.

Would you believe that my wake-up time is now 4:00 am?  And yes, this means a much much earlier bed time.  It is a rare night indeed that I am still awake at 10:00 pm.

It is truly a miracle that this chronic night owl is now such an early bird.  I joyfully anticipate the wee morning hours.  The fruit of my quiet time in the dark is greater peace in the light.  I am so grateful!

photo credit Michael Connors

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