The 5AM Club

Dear Blog,

"Hello, yeah, it's been a while...Not much, how 'bout you?" - Name that tune??

I figured it has been several days and maybe I should sit down and write a new post to my blog that I sometimes neglect.  Last week at the Conner-Mock Blend was a pretty laid back week.  We don't get those very often so when I do get a chance to "lay-back", I don't know when to stop!!  I lazed around all weekend and decided it was time to get some type of motivation so I could do my grocery shopping and laundry and organize at least one room.  Caleb and I went out Saturday to get groceries and 5 HOURS later, we came home...haha!  We had sooo much fun!  He was a little bored but oh well.....mommy had help, someone to talk to and she was a happy camper.  After that I decided to start some laundry and ATTEMPT to organize the laundry room (which turns into the catch-all room at times).  I started but didn't completely finish.  That's on the plans to do this week during our down time.

During the weekend I started reading a book that I found on my Kindle.  Yeah, I dont' remember buying it BUT, it was on there and it struck my interest.  The title of the book is:  Shopping for Time: How to Do It All and Not Be Overwhelmed by Carolyn Mahaney (from the blog girltalk).  She has some great ideas in this book about reigning ourselves in and slowing down so we can focus on what the most important thing is in our lives - Time Spent in Communion with God.

They have what they called a "5AM Club".  Her and her three daughters started this several years ago together.  They made a commitment to wake up at 5AM, everyday, to sit at Jesus' feet and schedule their day.  How great!!  Yes, I've known others who have done this same thing and Yes, I've attempted a version before but, after reading some things out of this book, it really brought it back to my attention that I needed to do something like this.  Here is a small excerpt from the book which really drew me in and made this 5AM club something that I needed desperately to attempt and succeed at:

"I knew I needed to wake up earlier, but I kept telling myself that I'd never be able to do it.  I dreaded the thought of failing yet again.  Then it occurred to me that I made time for other things I considered important such as grocery shopping, showering, doing my makeup, eating, date night with my husband, spending time with friends.  Was my love for God truly my highest priority?  The realization:  My daily schedule was not reflective of a heart set on seeking God first.  I needed to take radical measures.  If I was going to have consistent and quality time with the Lord, it would need to happen before the rest of the family was up and before the day was rolling."

How true that holds for me!!  I can schedule and schedule and manipulate time around to fit anything and everything that my little heart desires but when it comes to spending that quality consistent time with the Lover of my Soul, I can't seem to do it.  How unfair we treat God who loves us so unconditionally!!  I've always said that I was a night owl.  I'm not a morning person.  In this book she makes a very valid point by arguing this point:

"I have heard of women who pride themselves on being 'night people'.  That means they have trouble getting up in the mornings because they come alive at night.  They may stay up till all hours reading, watching television, or pursuing some sort of interest.  The next morning they are too tired to get up and care for their family...These women are not 'night people'.  They are lazy and selfish.  Who would not rather stay up late to do whatever they please and sleep late the next day?"

WOW!  Seriously...mouth is open on the floor, I have two black eyes from being beat by this statement and WOW!!  Guilty, guilty and guilty!!

Soooo, I am going to attempt (and succeed) this 5AM club.  I must say I set my alarm this morning for 5AM and have to admit with shame that I went back to bed.  I felt so ashamed and guilty after I woke up this morning.  I put God on the backburner and traded him for sleep.  What am I doing??  I've got to get this right!  Soooo, with all sincerity, if anyone would like to join me or even help keep me accountable on this, I would owe you big time!  I've got to change the way I am, who I have become and what I am headed for.  I have a hunger and a deep desire for something more and the mortal inside of me is kicking and screaming relentlessly against all of this change!

Pray for me and God's guidance in my life at this time!  I pray for all of my friends and bloggy friends out there that you would find that time to commune with God and create a CLUB of your own!  God Bless!!