Monday, June 11, 2007

You've Gotta Try This!

I was very afraid at first, but am no longer after seeing the huge benefits! What is this that I'm going to encourage you to try? No, its not the latest gadget that will make your life easier, nor is it the latest delicious, quick and healthy recipe. Nope, what I've been doing that has been so great is plain, old fashioned WALKING. Yes, I've been joining my neighbor at 5 AM - yes that's right, 5 AM - and going for a just under 2 mile walk. It has been amazing. I'll admit that generally I would get up when the first child would wake up and basically feel like I was playing catch-up all day long. By the time I drank my lukewarm coffee, my 3rd child would be up and I'd wonder, okay, now how am I supposed to shower? Baby in pack-n-play, kids in front of a video. How irritating, this is not how I want my days to be - and the irritation would show in my attitude many days.

So I finally realized I need to take some control here (with the help of my Lord!), and make this work. Now my weekdays have been looking like this:

4:45 a.m. alarm goes off; get up throw on work-out clothes that were laid out the night before
5:00 a.m. meet neighbor at end of our driveway and WALK
5:30-ish a.m. get back and shower and dress (and actually blow-dry my hair and put on makeup!)
6:00 a.m. start coffee and unload dishwasher
6:15 a.m. read a verse from the Bible and pray (while quietly enjoying my HOT coffee!)
6:30 a.m. look at my watch and realize that I don't usually get up until 7 a.m. and marvel at what I've accomplished!

I am enjoying this and think I will continue to enjoy it (until maybe that first drizzly morning - yes, my neighbor and I agreed that even on those mornings we'll walk!)

Blessings,

Jen

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Stay, stay at home, my heart, and rest;
Home-keeping hearts are happiest,
For those that wander they know not where
Are full of trouble and full of care;
To stay at home is best.

Weary and homesick and distressed,
They wander east, they wander west,
And are baffled and beaten and blown about
By the winds of the wilderness of doubt;
To stay at home is best.

Then stay at home, my heart, and rest;
The bird is safest in its nest;
O'er all that flutter their wings and fly
A hawk is hovering in the sky;
To stay at home is best.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow