Waking up FOR Your Kids and not TO Them

#hellomornings

Every morning I wake up at 6:30. No one else is up. I grab my phone, sometimes my computer and head straight for my closet. It’s not pretty. Seriously. Not. Pretty. But it’s a decent sized space and houses a little canvas box full of books, a Bible, journals and a mechanical pencil or two (and sometimes some marbles and a few stuffed animals, too).

early morning prayer time
Lately, I’ve been opening up my phone to do a reading plan on the YouVersion app. I read the devotional section and the accompanying Scripture. Then I usually write a note about it, or just copy down the verse in my journal. (Once I heard a story about a Chinese family who copied scripture onto the inside of clothing to send to incarcerated Christians. I have never forgotten that and feel like writing Scripture down wherever I can could be a gift to someone one day. Weird thought, I know.)

Then I usually update Instagram or Facebook or Twitter with the verse I’m reading, or even a picture of what I just wrote in my journal. So other people can copy me? To show off how holy I am? Nope. It’s because there are hundreds of other women getting up early in the morning to do the same thing. We’re keeping each other accountable through these social media platforms.

scripture
Having this extra little push to update online might seem shallow or nonspiritual. But it’s the push that’s made me desire spending time with God. It’s the little nudge that has helped me enjoy a full hour of alone time--with my Bible, with my thoughts, with my journal, with the King of Kings.

It’s not always a time of crying and digging up treasure from God’s Word. Sometimes it’s just a simple cup of cold water to start my day. Other times it’s just the act of being awake before my kids.

If I had my way, I’d wake up when I wake up. I’d lay in the bed until I felt ready to roll out of the bed. I’d stumble into the kitchen and slowly make breakfast, sit on the couch with a book and computer until my eyes were awake enough to get into the shower. But I’m pretty sure I won’t get to do that until my kids are teenagers. Or maybe till they move out.

And when I try to do that now, with my 3 and 6 year old, I am the one that ends up having a bad attitude–even before I get out of bed. Because the kids have been up for more than an hour running around my room, making messes in the living room, asking me to get up to make breakfast, whining and complaining while they play unsupervised in the early morning.

When I first started getting up in the morning, I didn’t even spend time with my Bible. I’d head out the door and walk around my neighborhood listening to an audiobook. Then I’d jump in the shower and usually be dressed before my kids woke up. And it felt like a miracle! I was awake enough to speak with love and self-control to them. I sometimes had breakfast cooking before they were all the way awake. I wasn’t aggravated because their noses were pressed to the shower while I was inside. I had an hour of complete silence while I did something I wanted to do!

Waking up early makes me a better mom. I get alone time, I get personal time and I get God-time. It’s one of the best choices I’ve made as an adult. Waking up FOR my kids and not TO them.

If any of this seems like something you need–your household needs, I encourage you to download Inspired to Action’s free ebook, Maximize Your Mornings. It will lead you through a step-by-step plan to waking up–and give you encouragement to WANT to do it. It might change your life, it did for me.

HelloMornings
The fall Maximize Your Mornings Challenge (also called #hellomornings) begins August 20th. This is where that online accountability comes in. You can sign up and join a Hello Mornings group and then check in with them every day–on Facebook or Twitter. You can form a group with girls from your church, people you know online, or do what I do–just jump in a group and make new friends! The registration for the Maximize Your Morning Challenge begins today and I’d love for you to join me!

If you wake up early before your kids (especially if it’s not your natural bent) will you leave a comment below and tell us how it benefits you? If you’re a part of #hellomornings, chime in, too! I’d love to see all your faces bright and early this fall!

bible craft

Linked to The Better Mom and Women Living Well

alarm clock photo source: beth19; all other photos via my instagram

***Impress Your Kids has some new digs at ohAmanda.com! Come visit us there for all the Impress Your Kids archives and all our new posts–including our Easter newsblast with fabulous tips for celebrating a meaningful Easter with your kids!***


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Shoebox Blitz in New York City

I am in New York City right now! NEW YORK CITY!

I’m here with Operation Christmas Child as part of a SUPER COOL promotion that is literally going to canvas New York City with Shoeboxes!

shoebox blitz
In fact, we are going to be outside the Today Show and Good Morning America today! So, please turn on your TVs and watch! Record it if you have to, I’ll be waving to you! (Yes, dressed like a box!)

And don’t forget to LIKE Operation Christmas Child on facebook so you can see all the fun stuff we’ll be doing today!

***Impress Your Kids has some new digs at ohAmanda.com! Come visit us there for all the Impress Your Kids archives and all our new posts–including our Easter newsblast with fabulous tips for celebrating a meaningful Easter with your kids!***


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Letter H

alphabet craft scripture letter h

Here we go again…I pick another scripture that begins with a word that doesn’t even say the letter! How is “HONOR” a good “H” word? Oh, well. I certainly couldn’t let the letter H pass without using this verse. Every child should know this verse, right?!

We did a hippo because Lydia loved hippos when she was little. We taught her sign language and it was one of her favorite signs! I got this outline of a hippo at First School. It’s designed to be a paper bag puppet…which would be so fun! You could have your hippo puppet say the verse!

First School has tons of printables–crafts, coloring sheets, handwriting practice and more. If you are looking for ideas about a specific theme or a letter of the alphabet, First School will get your brain going in the right direction!

Oh, and I just remembered something else we used to do with our ABC Scriptures–Starfall! Have you seen this? It’s an awesome interactive website that teaches kids all kinds of things. But their ABC sounds are my fave!

h craft

Your kids will love this! Plus, it will get you thinking about some other fun words to go with your letter. I know sometimes I’d go through the whole game and then decide what craft to do because it has so many fun words and ideas for each letter!

{Click for more ABC Crafts!}

***Impress Your Kids has some new digs at ohAmanda.com! Come visit us there for all the Impress Your Kids archives and all our new posts–including our Easter newsblast with fabulous tips for celebrating a meaningful Easter with your kids!***


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Hi! I'm Amanda! I've recently moved this blog to ohAmanda.com. Please visit there to see all the archives of Impress Your Kids and my new series and posts there!

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