Hello alarm clock

Hello alarm clock, I'm so glad to see you again....

NOT!

This week I joined the 5 O'Clock Club, and it has not been nearly as bad as I envisioned. Overall I have loved loved loved having extra time in the morning to linger in the Word, pray harder, and even just gather my thoughts for the day before I have to head out into the real world. Here is how the week went:

• Monday- The club had not started yet. I got up later than I wanted to and was in a rush all morning. There was still snow on the ground and I almost feel about ten times going to work. It was cold. Ugh. My time with the Lord got thrown out the window, in an attempt to get ready for work. It is no surprise to me that when I saw Cheye's post that night I jumped on board real fast.

• Tuesday- First day of the club! Mr.Pate had to open at Starbucks, which means he left the house at 4:45am, and awoke at like 4am (insane I know, but people have to have their coffee). So he woke me up at 4:45am and I made sure the alarm was good for 5am. Surprisingly I got right up at 5am without a problem, I am guessing it was like awaking on the first day of school or Christmas morning- you are too excited to sleep. Anyhow, it was absolutely amazing to have all that time! I started the coffee, made my lunch and packed my bag for the gym because I was intending to leave the house at 5:50 to head to Preston. I fed the starving animals (gosh they cry like babies in the morning and follow me everywhere until I feed them!) and then settled onto my barstool. All was quiet. It was a great time with the Lord. After my quiet time, I got up and began to put together my dinner (crock pot). This is where this morning got crazy but whatever. I cook in my crock pot all the stinkin time. I love coming home to dinner already made. I always put my meat into the crock pot frozen, because I am gone for so long that this helps the food not burn. Well Tuesday morning my frozen porkchops decided they were not going to come out of the package. They stuck to the cardboard tray & the paper thing that soaks up the juices, and refused to let go. I spent 20 minutes getting these things into my crock pot! My hands were numb! But amazingly I was not panicked or frustrated. See if I had gotten up at my regular time I would have been soooo frustrated and late for work. But I had plenty of time and I had just centered myself on the Word! Yay! So I had to change my plans and work out at home, which I am not good at doing, but it still was better than nothing. I attempted the 30 day shred- you would think since I work out every day this would be no big deal... wrong! I have been sore for 4 days because of the stupid squats! Thanks alot Jillian! That was Day 1. Glorious it was. Oh, but I was still a little late to work. Not sure how that happened when I got up at 5am??

• Wednesday- Mr.Pate had to open again so basically the same drill for getting up. At 5am I popped right up, well 5:05 but who's counting? Mr.Pate had gotten me the workbook for Kelly Minter's "Ruth" study (I had printed off the sample week and done it and loved it) so I started it Wednesday. It was a fabulous time. I am also seeing that with this extra time my prayers are so much more focused and heartfelt. I struggle with Prayer, so this is a blessing! No fights with Pork chops this morning, but I even had time to watch an episode of "Say Yes to the Dress" from my DVR while I stretched (due to my overwhelming leg soreness from the stupid shred!). My kind of morning.

• Thursday- This morning was much more of a struggle, because Mr.Pate didnt have to get up early. So I ended up out of the bed at 5:20am. I had great time with the Lord and was able to fix lunches. But then I just took my time getting ready (starting the day off with time to linger makes me slow in getting ready I have decided) and ended up rushing to work... we had a class scheduled to come in for assessments right at 8am (who does that?) so I had to park in a metered spot to get there in time to open the office etc. SO then I had to go back out and park my car! Still not a bad morning, just alittle rushed with work. But it is amazing how the Lord prepares you with patience when you have spent time in His word.

• Friday- Got up gladly amidst a rainy day (only through the Lord I am telling you) right round 5:30 am (late I know, but whatever). Spent some fabulous time looking at Ruth and then had some time to finish a chapter of the book I am reading for Simple Mom's bookclub. Refreshing way to start the day I am telling you! Went into work ready to work joyfully.

• Saturday- I was aiming to get up at 6:00am and got up at 6:30am, so not too bad. My alone time was not as long today because me and mr.pate are celebrating our anniversary (it was Thursday) all day. To start off: pancakes at 7:30! Yay! He makes the best pancakes ever! Even though my time wasnt as long, it was great.

So there you have it. 5 days down, and the rest of February to go. I cannot begin to explain to you how valuable I think this early time is... but it is hard to tell yourself that when you are in the bed! How am I making myself get out of the bed? Each night I am falling asleep praying "Lord please literally force me out of this bed in the morning. My heart is resolved to meet with you, please help motivate my flesh to get on board!".

Some of you reading are not morning people and you are reading this thinking, why get up so early? Just spend tim with the Lord at night or later in the day. But the thing of it is, for me, if I dont do it in the morning I just wont do it. There are too many excuses, too many things that get in the way; however, at 5 am, there is nothing else that needs to get done. (Mothers of infants, you are in a different phase so do what you need to do and dont feel condemned by this. at 5am you may have a baby to feed) I dont think quiet times have to be in the morning, spending time with God at some point during the day is the point, whenever that may be. But I did like this quote I read from John Piper:

“I earnestly recommend that it be in the early morning, unless there are some extenuating circumstances. Entering the day without a serious meeting with God, over his Word and in prayer, is like entering the battle without tending to your weapons. The human heart does not replenish itself with sleep. The body does, but not the heart. We replenish our hearts not with sleep, but with the Word of God and prayer.”

So your turn: how are you doing on spending time with the Lord?? Need some encourage or accountability? At a good phase right now??