A Transformed Morning in Ten Minutes

+J.M.J.+

7:30 a.m. is the hardest part of my day. Breakfast is over and Ethan packs up his bag and heads off to work. I love my girls and our days together, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes knowing the whole days worth of work is just starting is so hard for me to get past mentally. I also just really love my husband and its hard to see him go. Oh, and my coffee is usually all gone now too, so you can see why this is a difficult time!

I have found two ways that help make my mornings better, and in turn our whole day is usually improved.

First, after Ethan leaves the girls and I have a little prayer time. Philomena and I work on her Sign of the Cross, and then we pray the Guardian Angel prayer and the morning offering my mother prayed with me every morning growing up. (I have that morning offering at the bottom of this post.) Then we thank God for another day, ask Him to please help us to love Him more today than we did yesterday, and to do all of our work and play for love of Him and the salvation of souls. We finish with an Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be. It may sound like a lot but it truly takes a few minutes and we are done.

Following this little prayer time I get Philomena and Zelie situated in fresh diapers and put in in separate safe spots. Then I take some time to get myself ready for the day.

We have attended a few nice events lately that I did my hair and make-up for, and I just felt so good after getting done up… It was like I had ten times more energy when I had gotten ready.

This totally getting ready bit doesn’t take long, though! I timed myself yesterday, and brushing my teeth, throwing on an outfit, putting on blush, eye shadow, and mascara, and curling just the ends of my hair with six quick curls took me a grand total of 6 minutes and 36 seconds.

Combined with our little prayer time, we are right at about 10 minutes to do this routine, but those 10 minutes making a shocking difference in our day.

I feel like I tackle our housework with much more enthusiasm and am actually motivated to do the little things to make the house look better like make the bed, put the laundry fully away etc. when my own appearance is better.

I also feel like the prayer reminds me that this regular old weekday and it’s work are important. The chores and childrearing are the work of my state in life; what God has given me to work towards Heaven! When I start it with prayer, offering it to Him, I am reminded of the value of what I am doing. I need that reminder because, lets be honest, sometimes attacking the endless cycle of dishes, laundry, and children’s needs seems so futile to my negative, morning self.

It helps me embrace the crosses of the day better like I talked about here, if I can only remind myself that I already offered this day to God, and I want to give Him my best, no matter what happens.

Some days go better than others, and by evening no matter what I am still usually all frazzled from the day. But this routine still helps a lot still, so I’m trying to stick with it.

I would love to know if you do anything every morning that helps your mood or motivates you!

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A Morning Offering

O my God, I offer Thee my every thoughts, words, and deeds of this day, in union with the Sacred Heart of Jesus, for the intentions for which He pleads and offers Himself in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. In thanksgiving for Thy favors, in reparation for my offenses, and in humble supplication for my temporal and eternal welfare. For the wants of our Holy Mother, the Church, for the conversion of sinners, and for the relief of the poor souls in purgatory. I wish to gain all of the indulgences attached to the prayers I shall say, and to the good works I shall perform this day. Amen.

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