Hello Mornings

My husband can tell you with complete assurance that one of my favorite places to be in our house is my bed.  I love its warmth, comfort, and I love to sleep.  Getting up early has never been my forte.  I am a night owl, love to stay up late, and then sleep in the next morning.  Carrie getting up early is an oxymoron, but over the past eighteen months, I have been trying to change that.

In November of 2012, during a women's conference at our church, a friend told me about a blog and online challenge group called "Hello Mornings".  It's a way for Christian women to connect for accountability through social media (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) literally across the globe.  What's the purpose?  It has three goals: Time With God, Plan Your Day and Move Intentionally (better known as exercise).  During that conference, I felt God convicting me to be more intentional about my days, my parenting, my marriage and my personal relationship with God.  The introduction of Hello Mornings has really had a positive effect in my life, and I can certainly tell a difference when I'm slacking and not getting up early to pray and read my Bible.  This call to obedience to be more intentional also began the call to home school, which was a HUGE step of faith.

Each quarter there are challenge sessions, and the new session starts February 24th, with registration opening February 17th.  I am an Accountability Captain this session, which basically means I should be the first one up in the morning posting on our group for others to check in, and encouraging/praying for members in our group.  My friend Heather is my Co-AC, as I cannot do this alone.  She has really helped me with the accountability factor as we text each other the night before to make sure we are getting to bed early and in the morning to see if we are up.  I have really needed that consistent accountability and encouragement for the times I fall off the bandwagon!

I'm anxiously awaiting the start of the new session.  To say that I've been a slacker the last few months is quite the understatement, and I can see how it affects our home school days as I'm still trying to squeeze in a shower at 7:00 or 7:30 a.m., and get breakfast.  My goal is to be up at 5:30 a.m., but 6:00 a.m. is sometimes more realistic.  My sleep is very precious to me, so this has been a sacrifice, but I'm trying.

I have been cursed with perfectionism in that my involvement in any type of activity is either ALL or NOTHING: 110% or 0%.  Hello Mornings has really helped me to realize that I'm not perfect, there are days I will sleep in, days I will make mistakes, but to keep plugging ahead and trusting God ultimately that He will give me the strength to get through each day even when I am sacrificing hours of sleep for Him!  He can and does do that - He will bless me with energy to face each day.

If you are interested in joining us this session, click on this link - and look for our group - under my name and Heather Hysell.  Registration begins Monday, February 17th for new group  members.  If you can't join our group, there are many others to choose from, and I can guarantee that it will be a blessing.  The free Bible study this session is on the book of Ruth.  If you aren't able to join a group this session, please take a lot at the blog, and read more about it.  Even if you aren't a morning person like me and take a few steps towards an intentional day, I know you will be blessed.  Hello Morning!