Hello Mornings! Challenge

I aspire to be a morning person.*  Apparently more in "Sharon Land" than in real life because I consistently ignore the strip of sunshine that finds its way through the slit in the curtains.  Instead, I put my arm around hubby, leaning in until we're nearly cheek to cheek.  Sometimes I watch him sleep.  Sometimes I plant subtle kisses along his jawline.  I always think.  About us.  About parenting.  About our dreams for the future.  My mind toggles between this white space to think and that little voice in my left brain that waxes eloquent about all the benefits of rising before the rest of my family.

That's the thing.  I wake up earlier than the rest of my family.  But I worship my bed.  I love cuddling with hubby more than exercising, planning, journaling, praying...

However, there's all those mornings when I force myself to roll out of bed, exercise, plan the day ahead, read my Bible, journal, pray...  all before anyone else rises.  I love when I have the house to myself.  In Germany I sat in my quaint kitchen nook where I could hear the church bells ring, birds singing, and an occasional cow moo.  Now I tiptoe across carpet, turn the kitchen light on and hope, hope that I don't wake the two children sleeping nearby on the sleeper sofa.

So this is what I'm going to do: I'm joining the Hello Mornings Challenge where women all around the world are supporting one another in this endeavor to rise early, (or earlier), to spend time with Jesus, exercise, and plan their day.  When my sons are playing team sports, they have to meet up with their team and their coach two hours before the game on game day.  Two hours! to warm up, stretch, and get their head in the game.  In the spirit of learning the discipline and art of presence, I'm super excited about this challenge as I know how encouraging it is to head into the day with "my head in the game," ready to live the day fully, giving to others from the overflow.

How about you?  What are your mornings like?

Linking today with Kat and the Hello Mornings Team over at Inspired To Action...

*I understand there are those of you who will reevaluate our friendship based on that statement alone.  Not to worry, I won't call before 11 AM.  Promise.  smile.