Morning Rituals

The past two weeks of early morning prayer have revealed something very important. Frank and I have TOTALLY different routines for getting ready in the mornings!!

(Yes, I'm aware that this fact has no spiritual significance whatsoever.)

Most of the time, he and I start the day at slightly different times. We aren't forced to share our bathroom which only has one sink. But for the past fourteen days, our morning routines have collided. And oh my, the learning that has taken place.

I like to get up very early and enjoy the quiet. The angels even sing subdued songs as I shuffle around making coffee; snuggle in with Gracie for devotions; silently meditate or write. I have no desire to even listen to music (which I love the rest of the day) during those first couple of hours.

There's just something about words like solitude - solace - hushed - quiescent. (I found that one on Thesaurus. Smile.) Those peaceful moments before the day really gets rolling, keep me from going over the edge!

My husband, however, loves noise!

He walks straight from the coffee pot to the television and flips it on to get the morning news. (Granted, a lot of things happen within a six hour period in our world and he should stay informed. But does he have to keep the volume button at a setting that allows our neighbors to listen with him?!)

And lest anything of earth shattering consequence happen between the time he walks from the living room television to the bedroom television, he leaves both on to avoid missing it!

If I'm drying my hair in the bathroom, he turns up the volume to not miss those three minutes of news. Which typically are a repeat of the report we heard while dosing off at eleven the night before.

Please bear in mind that I'm a woman who could comfortably wait until Tuesday to hear the weekend news. I place my current events reticence squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Lowman. (Eleventh grade history teacher who required a current events article every week in order to pass his class! We didn't get the newspaper so this created a lot of pressure! But I digress.)

When I travel, it's not uncommon for me to only turn on the television in the hotel room long enough to eat the breakfast I snagged from the lobby. I'm quite content to read or write without any verbal communication whatsoever.

How odd for a woman who loves words! Maybe I'm just saving up.

Then there is the problem of a singular bathroom sink and limited floor space. Shaving, hair drying, face washing, make-up applying, contact installing, brushing of teeth.......all the tasks performed by two people must take place at the same sink within the same six square feet!

Um-hmm. That's what I'm trying to tell you! It's been a train-wreck waiting to happen.

We've managed okay these two weeks. Mostly as a result of the hour of intense prayer which immediately follows. The fact that we know this to be a temporary condition helps too. Whew!

There was a precious saint of God in our church when I was a little girl. She seemed to finish every story she told with this heartfelt request, "People, pray for me when ya pray!"

And so I conclude with the same request! Smile.



Serious Warning! Joy has only four short weeks now until her due date. I've done very well up until this point keeping my enthusiasm about becoming a "NANA" under control. However, it feels somewhat like a volcano ready to erupt!

And once Spencer Matthew Schreck hits the scene, I fear that no amount of self-control will be able to curb my overflowing joy. I request your serious indulgence while I temporarily lose my sensibility and write like a nut who thinks she is the only one who has ever become a grandparent!

It will level out eventually - I promise!