Simple & Slow Fridays: Dailiness & Morning

Dailiness. Did you decide that you can/do enjoy your daily activities? Was there anything you changed in your dailiness?

This past week has been anything but daily for me. We have a dear friend visiting and we've been coming and going and going and coming. She's been doing things with the kids and we've been watching movies eating LOADS of cookies and chips. It's been a wonderful week of rekindling our friendship, but my daily activities have been shifted a bit. (Not complaining at all!)

However, with all the bustling about, I have found that one daily activity still occurs. I cook. I love to cook. If I could cook a huge meal every night (and know that it would be eaten) I would. I don't like to just open a can of veggies and nuke them, but mostly that's what I do for sides right now. I would rather make casseroles, use spices, and have a homemade dessert as well. I enjoy cooking from scratch. I don't find much comfort or satisfaction from canned, boxed, or pre-fabricated meals. I love to try new recipes, but of course I must follow recipes. (Shameless plug.)

With all that said, there are some things holding me back from the full-blown comforting meals every night. For one, there's Witt... allergic to dairy. There are so many comfort foods that contain cheese and apparently there's not really a good substitute for cheese. Two, Will is a very picky eater. He doesn't like cheese, though, so that's not the issue for him. He won't eat sauce or basically anything he considers "new". Mealtime is sometimes a battle with him and I wish that that part of my dailiness would change. Sometimes I cook him something other than what the rest of us are eating just to keep the peace, but then Nathan wants what Will has and it's a different battle to fight. Then, lastly, Jeff occasionally comes home late. I don't want him to have a cold meal after work. (I do love feeding men!) And I don't want to work hard on a meal if he's going to be extra late (being that he is my main eater). Please, don't get me wrong. I do love to cook for my family and I know they are appreciative... I would just like it to go a little bit smoother sometimes.

So there is the good and bad part of my dailiness with cooking. The ying and yang of cooking, if you will. :)

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The next chapter in Mitten Strings for God is entitled Morning. I love morning... that is, when I get a good night's rest. ;) I really am more of a morning person than a night owl. I love the newness of the day. A fresh pot of brewing coffee. Good morning kisses from my boys. The bright and cheery, "Good morning, Mommy!" from Will when he walks into our room at 7AM on the dot. I love our morning ritual of all the boys piling into our bed one by one. I enjoy the mornings especially when I wake before everyone else and have some time to share with God alone in the stillness. For me, morning is refreshing.

I just wish every morning was as beautifully formed as I've described. Some mornings come too quickly. Some are spent in front of the computer instead of in the bible. Sometimes the boys wake up cranky and sometimes Jeff is at work before the house rises and then there is not much "piling into the bed". These mornings have less connection... less rejuvenation. Why is it that on these mornings it is so much harder to do what "works" well? Why does it feel like it would be easier to just drag along even when I know that that just makes the morning more difficult?

But I cheat myself if I fail to give the morning its due. For these first waking minutes can affect the quality of the entire day, determining the way things will go for each one of us. It is a tender time. Our souls, returning from their mysterious sojourns of the night, must now become grounded once again in the here and now and the concerns of the day. If I am conscious enough to honor this process- greeting my husband and children with hugs and kisses and gentle words-then each one of us may actually experience the sense of renewal that each day offers. The mistakes of yesterday are forgiven, regrets put aside. Here, in the days's first hushed moments, our family can come together again in loving spirit, rested and refreshed. (p. 16)

Challenge for the week:

Give morning it's due; view each one as a renewal. Think about your morning greetings... let your face light up with each "Good morning" you give and receive.

I know this might be hard for those of you that don't "do" mornings. Just give it some thought and make tiny changes as you see they are needed.

Link back to this post during the week with your thoughts on morning. What kind of morning rituals do you have? Is it a special part of your day?

I can't wait to read your thoughts...