The Family-Centered Life

Morning tea

One of my goals for the New Year is to form the habit of rising early, before the rest of the household. Those of you who are morning people see no struggle in this goal but those of you who tend to be night owls –like yours truly– understand the firm resolution need to achieve such a goal. No doubt I see the merit in it, yet oh how easy it is to lose sight of that in the early morning chill and darkness.

But here I am, at least for today, enjoying a cup of tea and enjoying the quiet of the house before it disappears with the darkness and I hear little feet coming to meet me.

Not that I am complaining. I am fully aware that someday my days will be filled with quiet and there will be no little feet padding down the stairs to greet me and no dimpled smile of a precocious three year old reminding me that today is a “cereal day”. Indeed, as each of the children rise they will greet me in their own way and while some will be chipper and others groggy, a few (of the teen aged variety) will very likely have to be called, and called again.

My husband is long gone as his work starts early and this too is another reason I want to rise early; to be there as he leaves for the day to serve his family and to show him that I appreciate his sacrifice for us. I also want him to know that I take my role as wife and mother seriously and know its importance to the family dynamic. This isn’t to say that rising later means I’m not serious, but in many ways it does send a subtle message and I know from experience that it can set the tone for the day in a way that just isn’t productive to the family-centered life we try to cultivate here.

My to do list for the day is already filled and I must remind myself it is still Christmas and resolve not to let that list and its demands overshadow the joy of these last days of the holiday.

Sunday we celebrate the Epiphany and a month from Sunday we enter Lent. Our time between Christmas and Lent is the shortest it’s been in our lifetime. Easter is the earliest it’s been since 1910 –March 23rd– and if the current temperature is any indication, we will surely be wearing long sleeves on Easter Sunday. With only a month to prepare for Lent I have to admit I’m feeling the crunch since besides the personal and family preparations, I have 6 RCIA candidates to prepare as well. This is but one more reason why rising early is a good idea –since there’s so much to do.

I’ve finished my tea and it’s time to get moving. I hear the trash trucks rumblings about town and I know that soon the little people upstairs will be rising with the sun. May God love’s and peace bless you this Christmas day!