Monday, July 27, 2009

A "Mourning" Routine

Let's face it. The morning and I just really don't get along. I've always wanted to be one of those people who spring from their bed at the start of each day, throw out their arms, and break into singing, "GOOD Morning, Good MORNING, GOooood Morning to YOU!" at the top of their lungs as they skip delightedly to the shower. BUT - I'm NOT. Period. End of story. Unfortunately, however, my boss has this crazy idea that all the teachers at our school should not only be there before school begins, but also (Get this!) be there in time to have teacher devotions and prepare our rooms for the day AND as if that weren't enough, he expects us to be there ON TIME!!!!!!! (Shocking, isn't it?) As all of this must occur at the early hour of 7:40 am, that means that like it or not, the morning and I are going to be permanant Buddies (at least if I want to keep my job). Since last year my boss didn't really love my habit of sliding in there at the very last second before devotions started (if they hadn't already), I am also going to have to leave a couple minutes early (it would also be nice to avoid getting a ticket). Although this completely defies my sense of time managment - which is squeeze everything I can into each moment and wait until the very last second to sprint to my car, throw my *many* bags, totes, and briefcases into my car while hoping I don't break anything or spill my coffee, and book it down the road, hoping that no cops are around (and that if there are I can charm them into not giving me a ticket with my big blue eyes and best puppy dog expression), yelling at any car that happens to go too slowly with not-so-very-well-concealed righteous indignation, and finally flying into my parking space, grabbing all of those bags and running (as best as I can in my heels) inside while praying fervently that devotions haven't started yet and that I have (HOPe beyond hOpe!) avoided that dreadful sweaty, windblown look (which most of the time I haven't). *DEEP breath* Yes. Well, while obviously this is a very *efficient* way of doing things, my boss didn't like it that sometimes I was a wee bit.....well you know......late?? (1 minute max, I PROMISE!!!!)
Sooooo, duh da dunda.....(drumroll please)..... enter new resolutions! Since when school starts each year, there are always so very *many* new things to work on, I decided to start working on my morning routine a bit earlier this year. I figured that maybe if I gradually got up fifteen minutes earlier every three days, maybe it would be easier than all of the sudden going from getting up at 8 am to getting up at 5 am. So, I have been gradually getting up a little earlier every few days. I am proud to say that I am now getting up at 6:15 am almost every day. In the next couple weeks, I still need to move the time up another forty five minutes or so, but STILL - significant progress, don't ya think??
This in a nutshell is my new morning routine:
1 FIRST and Formost - Coffee
If I have to get up, the ONLY way it is going to work is if Mr. Coffee and I can be intimately acquainted - the sooner the better. I get the coffee ready the night before so that I will awake to its tantalizing smells luring me from my bed. And my brother even got me a new coffee mug that has a place to write my to do list and a marker to go along with it! (Now how's that for time management!)


2. Quiet Time
For my quiet time, I read five Psalms and 1 Proverb (that correspond with the date) and two chapters of the old Testament and one in the New (it's a plan by Elizabeth Elliott for reading thru the Bible in a year). I also work on my Scripture Memory (right now I'm almost finished with John 14 - I've already memorized John 15) and spend some time in Prayer (I usually have a lot of sins to confess already - like turning off the alarm so I can go back to sleep, grumbling that the morning is already here, etc.)

3. Exercise
Now it is time to get my lazy butt off the couch and work out! My mom and I are doing this exercise program called T-Tapp which we have renamed Torture Tapp. A lot of days I don't really feel like working out, but as one T-Tapper says - "When you don't feel like working out, just tell yourself "Thanks for sharing - now get up and get moving!"

4. Shower/dress
Then it is time to transform myself from a sweaty slob into a *Gorgeous superModel* (OK maybe not the Super part). This usually involves a shower, much agony over what to wear, lots of makeup, and a battle with the straighter, curling iron, and/or blowdryer.

5. Breakfast
Finally. By this time I am STARVED!!!! and very ready for a healthy breakfast of eggs, toast, milk and more COFFEE!

And that Ladies and Gentlemen is my Morning Routine! I am trusting God's grace and strength to help me be disciplined each day to follow this routine. My new Piano Teacher says that tiredness is all in our brains anyway, so I guess I don't have any excuse, right??




1 comment:

Rebecca's Refining said...

You are sooooo funny Tiffany! I love how your personality comes through in your posts! :)
I can totally relate to NOT being a morning person! My alarm clock is actually on the other side of the room ....thus I have to get out of bed and walk over to hit snooze (this is supposed to help one stay up), however, I usually turn off the alarm and fall back into bed! "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!" Burlin, on the other hand, can bounce out of bed, singing (loudly of course) as he gets ready for the day.....I would much rather stay up late and sleep in late, followed by a lazy morning of reading, emailing, etc... but, in reality that is not how God intends us to spend our days! Good news is...He can give us the strength to overcome our fleshly desires....the hard part of course comes with the actual denying ourselves!
BTW, Ilove your mug...how cute!!