I Love Mornings

I have always been an early morning person.  I love early mornings when the sun is just beginning to come up and bring light into the darkness.  I love early mornings with my children.  The day is new, there's no yelling, screaming, fighting, or stress....everything is new.  This morning, I walked down the hall and I saw my daughter sitting up in her bed.  When she saw me, she gave me a sweet, "Momma...momma..." music to my ears.  I picked her up, held her close, and danced with her in her room for about half an hour.  She never moved....never pulled away....never tried to get down.

I cherish those times with her.  I prayed over her as I held her...cried tears into her hair.  I bet God knows how many tears I have cried in prayer for my children.  I think the #1 thing any parent can do for their child is to PRAY for them.  The #2 thing any parent can do for their child is to LOVE them.  I can honestly say without hesitation that I have prayed with and for my children every single day since the day I first found out I was pregnant with Isaac.  Not ONE day has gone by that I haven't prayed with or for them.  Also, not ONE day has gone by that I haven't told them that I love them.

I can also most assuredly say that my husband and I have not gone ONE day without saying, "I love you..." to each other.  It's probably the best, single piece of advice we've ever received.  At our rehearsal dinner before our wedding, my father-in-law got up to speak and I have never forgotten what he said.  He said to make sure that you ALWAYS tell your spouse that you love them before you leave, get off the phone, or go to bed.  You HAVE to say it EVERY DAY.  Coming from a woman who never heard "I love you" from her father growing up, it has been the most healing thing to hear it from my husband every day.  I know saying it can get "old" for some people or they begin just saying it and not really meaning it.

For me, my earthly father showed me he loved me by what he did for me.  So, I knew he loved me because of his actions, but he never said it.  So, I think my love language is "acts of service" and then "words of affirmation".  I don't know...it's both.  I used to think it was "physical touch", but now that we've been married almost 8 years next month, I really think it's "acts of service" first and then "words of affirmation".  I'm excited to learn what they are for my children.  I think it's safe to say that physical touch and words of affirmation are important for any child.

As a mother, I have to remember that I set the tone for the environment of my entire household.  The saying is true, "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."  :)  Please don't get me wrong, I in no way have this concept down-pat at ALL.  There are many days when my husband gets home from work and I'm stressed out with the kids, tired, hungry, and just need a break.  He walks in, I give him a dirty look, dinner is burning and I've got diapers to change and messes to clean up.  I have a choice at that very moment of how I'm going to respond to my situation and circumstances.  Do I want my husband to walk into a warzone?  Some days are like that aren't they?

Think about how your house smells...I'm not talking about smelly plug-ins from Bath & Body Works or Lysol sprays and Glade candles.  I'm talking about "What scents are fragrant in your home?"  Are LOVE, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, and FAITHFULNESS fragrant in your home?  You know what it's like to walk into a house where warm bread is baking in the oven...ahhh *sigh* the smell of COMFORT.  Maybe it's the smell of bacon cooking and coffee brewing....maybe it's roast with potatoes and carrots and onions for you....I don't know what it is, but a scent that reminds you of COMFORT.  Are you creating an environment of comfort for your family?  Does your husband feel comfortable in your home?  Do your children feel comfortable in your home?  If not, why not?

I have to ask myself this EVERY DAY.