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| Pouring the Morning Coffee by Laurits Regnes Tuxen |
She slowly crawls out of the warm bed and into a soft robe. She tiptoes through the dark house and heads to the kitchen to turn on the stove. The perking coffee and rich aroma lulls her into a reverie. This is her morning.
She calmly whispers a prayer for the day.
She calmly whispers a prayer for the day.
She has taken control. She does not have to rush. She quietly sets about her routine. A bit of reading, some biblical encouragement and now the steaming mug is in her hand. It keeps her cozy with its thick cream and honey. She breathes deeply and basks in this early hour.
Soon the home will become alive. She is ready for it. She will carefully fix the bed, prepare the meal, fluff the cushions and start the wash.
Soon the home will become alive. She is ready for it. She will carefully fix the bed, prepare the meal, fluff the cushions and start the wash.
When her morning is not stressed, the home is peacefully and beautifully blessed.
"She riseth also while it is yet night…"
~ Proverbs 31:15a
"EARLY RISING IS ONE OF THE MOST ESSENTIAL QUALITIES which enter into good Household Management, as it is not only the parent of health, but of innumerable other advantages. Indeed, when a mistress is an early riser, it is almost certain that her house will be orderly and well-managed..."
~ Mrs. Beeton, The Book of Household Management, 1861
Proverbial Homemaker Series:
This post may be shared with some or all of the following link-ups: The Art of Home-Making Mondays, Modest Mom Monday's, Monday's Musings, Make Your Home Sing Monday, Good Morning Mondays, The Scoop, Titus 2sdays, Titus 2 Tuesdays, Roses of Inspiration, Tuesdays with a Twist, Raising Homemakers, Wise Woman Link Up, Homestead Blog Hop, Wow Us Wednesdays, Coffee and Conversation, Homemaking Thursdays, Home Sweet Home, Our Simple Homestead, From the Farm Blog Hop, Front Porch Friday Blog Hop, Awesome Life Friday Link Up, Five Star Frou Frou Friday, Simply Natural Saturdays and Clever Chicks Blog Hop. Thank you lovely ladies for hosting these.
I love this post! I have recently rediscovered what waking early does for my family (and me). I get private prayer time, quiet in the house (rare with two toddlers, haha), and feel more at ease throughout my day. The housework gets done early which I'm certain will become invaluable when I start homeschooling. I'm so blessed to have found your site through the homestead hop. What a fantastic resource! Bless you!
ReplyDeleteWonderful, you are definitely more ahead of the game than I was! It took me a while to figure that all out :) And I do hope you enjoy your adventures in home education as much as we do!
DeleteReally good post! Thanks for the reminder (and extra push!) to get back into the routine of early rising. I am not a morning person, but I have found that when I do rise early the day starts off right. Quiet time in the Word and prayer is an absolute blessing. Was doing so good there for a while...not so much now.
ReplyDeleteLoved the quotes you shared too. :)
Stopping by from the Homestead Hop. Looking forward to more visits.
Yes, we all get on and off the wagon (so to speak) with early rising. Sometimes our hectic schedules, sickness, etc., make it almost impossible. However, when life is somewhat normal, it is such a blessing to be up earlier than than the rest of the household :) Happy homemaking! ~ JES
DeleteAww..this blesses my heart! I love that reverie time :) I also 'fall off the wagon' occasionally...sometimes failing and missing the best effect to the day, but other mornings, rejoicing in listening to the Holy Spirit and arising with anticipation! Are you naturally a morning person, JES?
ReplyDeleteNo, not naturally one… The coffee helps that out (sigh) but I *love* the moments of quiet and peace so I force myself up and am always glad I did!!!
DeleteI love getting up early. The problem is, I hardly ever do...although I am usually up before my husband! It's encouraging to read the other comments and see that "it's not just me"--I struggle with the discipline of getting up in time to spend some time in the Word before the day fully begins. It's always a blessing when I do that, though! Thanks for this encouragement.
ReplyDeleteJaimie at Living in the Light
Yes, it does take discipline… which is hard sometimes, but SO worth it :)
DeleteI find I am happier when I rise earlier.
ReplyDeleteGreat reason :)
DeleteMore gets done before the milking than the whole rest of the day :) Stevie@ruffledfeathersandspilledmilk.com
ReplyDeleteSimply said but true! Thanks for sharing here today :)
DeleteThis was a pleasant little story to read. It is good practice to rise early, but when you struggle with chronic illness, this is not always easy or possible to accomplished. However, before CI, I used to rise early in the morning. It wasn't always easy, but it was certainly refreshing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Yes, there will always be circumstances in our lives and seasons which won't allow certain activities… We do what we can with HIs strength :)
DeleteI love this! I've tried very hard to be a morning person and most mornings it just doesn't happen. But, when I am able to properly wake up, oh the work that gets done is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI also am not a morning person but a good cup of coffee does beckon me :)
DeleteDearest Jes,
ReplyDeleteThis is such a beautiful post! I am not much of a morning person (my husband is) and he always gently wakes me in the morning with words of love and a cup of coffee. Once he has aroused me I find mornings are my favorite time of the day and my day is always better when I wake up early :)
Hugs to you,
Stephanie
Well, I would say that that is a wonderful way to start your day!!! Words of love and coffee ;)
DeleteI'm not a morning person either. Last month a friend challenged me to get up early so I can have some quiet time before the kiddos woke up, but when I did my 2yr old would wake up too and not go back to sleep unless I cuddled in bed with her. That would always end me falling asleep. Maybe she knows my alarm is different from daddy's, so wondering if I had hubby wake me up it would go better and I can actually get up and get the blood flowing instead of cuddling with her and falling back asleep.
DeleteI have always loved mornings! They are so full of promise....
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Amy Jo
That is another wonderful thought! Thanks for adding that :)
DeleteWhen I woke this morning I sooo wanted to pull the covers over my head and sneak in an extra 15 minutes or so, but the title of this post came to mind!! Out of bed I hopped. I never regret my early mornings! Love this post.
ReplyDeleteAwww… Thanks for sharing that!
DeleteThis post was precious! I used to be an early riser, and have gotten out of the habit, but lately I have been feeling the need to have my early mornings back. (Ironically, I'm posting this at almost 1 a.m. my time...I should probably stop typing and starting snoozing!)
ReplyDeleteOh that is funny! It does help to get to sleep earlier :) Thanks for sharing here today and have a wonderful week!
DeleteHow ever did you know my morning routine? :) Whenever my alarm goes off at 4:45 (yes, 4:45), I'm eager for the aroma of coffee brewing, a few moments to myself before my dh wakes, and yes, the quiet of the house. :)
ReplyDeleteI supose we can be soul sisters separated at birth :)
DeleteMy Hubby has turned me into a morning person. As long as he has the coffee brewing when I come downstairs. We have our quiet time before the kiddos get up and while they are out doing chores, I make breakfast. After everyone is out for the day, work and school, I go out to milk the goat. Milking time is my time alone with God. I used to try to get up before my Hubby to be the "perfect homemaker" but that didn't work out so well. I get up at 5:30 and go to bed by 10. If I oversleep because I was up with a child during the night (amazingly I had to be up with my 17yr old), I feel like I have to play catch up all day.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a schedule, sounds "perfect" to me :)
Deleteas a 21 year old who could use “staying up with” on occasion, I believe that by the grace of God, you are an AWESOME mom! :):)
DeleteThis is beautiful! I have felt the need to rise earlier but I just can't seem to get my bottom in gear! This was very encouraging. Thank you. Coming over from Raising Homemakers.
ReplyDeleteOh, so glad you were encouraged :) Have a wonderful week!
DeleteLove it! Hope you don't mind me printing it for my homemaking binder. Waking early is one of those things - I love it when I do it, but it definitely requires discipline!
ReplyDeletePrint away :) Also, I feel the same way, it is hard but worth it!
Deletelovely! what a great inspiration!
ReplyDeleteThank you Shelby :) Have a wonderful week!
DeleteI desperately want to do this! Right now I've got 5 who will stay in bed as long as I tell them to and 4 who will get up 5 minutes earlier---no matter how early I plan on getting up! On one hand, I long for what your post describes. On the other hand, I know that it will likely come when my babies aren't babies anymore...and I'm in no hurry to rush that! :)
ReplyDeleteI've just posted the new Homemaking Party for the week and would love to have you link up, if you'd like!
Blessings,
Mrs. Sarah Coller
Good point! The baby stages are more challenging with the sleep schedule. You sleep when you can :)
DeleteI am reading Proverbs 31 again these past few days. It always amazes me that at all seasons of my life it is applicable. After raising three boys and devoting many years to school them at home and work at home the season I am entering is one of helping the needy and defending the ones who can't speak for themselves. Found you through Far Above Rubies. I am just starting to blog and hope you visit.http://henandchicksblog.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteWonderful ;) Thank you for sharing here today!
DeleteI used to be a morning person but after 3 kids I have absolutely NO energy before 7:00 AM. This used to make me feel horribly guilty, but I AM NOT a nice person when I get less than 9 hours of sleep these days. I have literally needed to accept this fact rather than fight it. My husband and I choose to have our time together between 8:00-10:00 pm when the kids are settled and in bed. Whenever I try to wake up early the little ones get up too so it completely defeats the purpose of having time to myself. I'm hoping in future seasons to regain early morning hours but right now it's laughable.
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact I'm a bear before 7:00 I'd love for you to link up with us @ Pin my post Friday. http://www.kmlogan.com. I think we all need to find the balance that's right for us. For a lot of people morning can be an incredibly productive time. Not so much me though :)
What works for you and your husband is your personal "Homemaker's Morning"… You can rewrite your story with all it's beautiful bonuses I am sure! We are all in different seasons in our life. Just sharing mine and glad you shared here today :)
DeleteJust wanted to let you know I'm featuring this today at my Homemaking Party! There's a "featured" button at the bottom of my sidebar if you want one!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the sweet honor :)
DeleteI just have to say once again that this is so encouraging...I thought of it early this morning again! Thank YOU!
ReplyDeleteFunny but it held me accountable a few days ago when I wanted to ignore the alarm... I thought, "she riseth" early… and bing! Up I stood :)
DeleteI too arise at 5 a.m. Our roosters get me up! I pray, read the Bible along with my coffee, then I get all my normal housework done. I have a daily routine of wiping down the bathroom & kitchen plus dusting the livingroom. When finished I let the dogs out & check the hens nesting boxes, & start laundry. After that I go online for a short time & then at promptly 8 am I vacuum. Then its breakfast! My daughter is already up feeding the dogs by this time & after we at it's homeschool time. LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks for sharing your morning! I *love* to hear these types of cozy things about my fellow homemakers :)
DeleteI love this! I'm working on getting up a bit earlier each day - I currently wake up about an hour before my son, and I see the difference between stumbling out of bed when he wakes and be prepared for my day and getting him up!
ReplyDeleteI love the beautiful picture you painted. As I sat here this morning smelling my coffee, in some comfortable clothes with my kiddos quiet. It is a great reminder to pray constantly throughout the day, no matter the time. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! Simple, but powerful! Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThis is so true - Some days I am tempted to sleep "just a little longer".... and yet, getting up early sure makes the whole day go better.... I really do not like feeling like I am having to play "catch up" all day. :) Thank you for posting this.
ReplyDeleteI agree, the temptation is strong!!
DeleteThis post truly blessed me. I struggle with rising early, but I know that it does make the day go much smoother. Thank you for posting! Also, this post was the most popular post at the Growing in Grace Link Up this week. Yay!
ReplyDeleteYes, all is peaceful, and it's a lovely word picture... until you find that the baby has thrown up all over herself and her bedding, your 2-year old has the beginnings of a runny BM in his underwear, and someone else has wet their bed prior to waking up. It's the day the diapers need to be washed (after all of the dirty bedding and laundry, and getting baths for the dirty ones done before breakfast). Then the chaos begins and the beautiful picture is no more.
ReplyDeleteHi there,
DeleteSounds like you have had a rough week! I wish I could send you over a hug... Yes, there are always rough days... This picture I have painted with words could realistically be a solid 5 minutes (until your hot mug is empty)... Even 5 minutes could be a blessing... I am sorry if this post didn't encourage you. You may want to visit "In the Nursery of the Nation" where Bambi blogs about her current life in the toddler trenches (it has been some time for me). Also, you can email me at pleasewritetojes@hotmail.com if you ever needed to... Love, JES
4 a.m. this morning. I feel more in control, but I've got to get some more work done. I just purchased the book on Amazon. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLaura of Harvest Lane Cottage
Wow, and I thought 6am was early! I think you are referring to the Isabella Beeton book? If so, you will like it if you appreciate Victorian Era lifestyle :) Have a wonderful week!
DeleteThis is my favorite way to start my day!
ReplyDeleteAh, thanks for sharing Tracy! Though it is hard to crawl out of bed, the benefits are beautiful once you get going :)
DeleteAfter 25 years of marriage and almost 24 years of motherhood, I've only recently (in the last few years) begun to recognize the importance of the early morning hours. What a difference those "extra" hours make! Most of my life I didn't even acknowledge that 5:00 happened twice a day. Now I feel lost when I sleep past 5. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at Coffee & Conversation. :)
~Candy
This is a great post! I'm trying to get back into the routine of rising earlier than my children. My nursing little one makes it a little harder. :)
ReplyDeleteLovely Writing,thank you for sharing.Included this post to our Seeking Proverbs 31!Come on over and check us out!
ReplyDeleteI LOVED this post! I found so much encouragement! I especially loved the quote you shared by Mrs. Breeton.
ReplyDeleteJust today, as I purposelly got up earlier before my day was to begin, it did go so much smoother and I had more time for the things that matter.
Thanks so much for sharing!
It seems to give us more hours in the day and are not we always complaining of lack of time :) Thank you for sharing Karen! :)
DeleteWith all due respect to Mrs. Beeton, I am one of those people who do not get up while it's still dark. For years, I felt this subtle pressure that there was something wrong with me, and then as I grew older and wiser I accepted that every person, and every family, is unique, and we follow the rhythms that work best for us. I love how our Father God has made such amazing variety in His children!
ReplyDeleteThat is true. None of use are cookie cutter replicas. Thank you for sharing your perception! :)
DeleteHow can I do this when I'm breastfeeding my toddler during the night? I really want to
ReplyDeleteHi friend, I'll be honest, when it came to nursing at night, I took sleep when I could get it. A cup of coffee could wake me up at any hour, but to stay awake with a toddler might not be as easy unless they have a nap time and you take a 20 minute snooze when they do. That power nap could keep you going while still waking early. But if that isn't feasible, it might not be the season for you... A rested mother also makes a happy home.
Delete