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Home » Blog » Starting the Day Right

in Habits for a Happy Mom· Habits for Happy Kids

Starting the Day Right

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1

So, I’ve gotten up before the sun, seen hubby off to work, unloaded the dishwasher, spent some quality time with the Lord and downed a much needed cup of coffee. A beginning like this should make for a fantastic day with my children, right?

I think maybe that was one of my biggest misconceptions about life since motherhood – that if I do all the things I am supposed to do, God will bless me with a peaceful and problem-free family. Unfortunately in just isn’t so. In fact, many times I believe that it is quite the opposite. I believe the devil sees my efforts and in turn, does everything he possibly can to destroy the foundations I’m trying to build.

I dream of the day that my boys will rise with cheerful hearts, greeting each other with a pleasant “good morning!”  But, ladies, to be honest, it just doesn’t happen that way. Typically, though, it goes something like this –

I sit downstairs with a second cup of coffee, ready for the moment all the little people start to wake. I hear the feet, and I’m anxious to see their smiling faces. But then the littlest person creeps across the hall to visit his big brothers who aren’t quite ready to be awake and I hear “MooOOOoooM! Sawyer’s in our room again!” followed by a slamming door and the sound of my little one crying. Then I holler up the stairs, “can’t you guys just be nice to him?”

So much for my peaceful morning.

So many days at our house have been spoiled like this. It is so hard to recuperate after a beginning like that. It just seems to get a hold on the rest of the day like toilet paper on your shoe!

I’ve been praying about this, and here is what I’m attempting to do – to start every day the right way. No matter what side of the bed the boys crawl out of, to greet them in the morning with a hug and a kind word. For the first words out of my mouth to be something that will squelch the grumpiness and cheer the sour faces. I can’t control sibling rivalry. I can’t control their moods when they wake up earlier than they’d like. But I can control the way I respond to them.

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6 Comments

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Comments

  1. Tricia says

    February 1, 2010 at 8:29 AM

    Thanks Kendra! What a great reminder to start the week. And now I have the Harrow family singing, “A soft answer turns away wrath…” in my head 🙂

    Reply
    • Tricia says

      February 1, 2010 at 12:15 PM

      love the sunrise photo!

      Reply
      • Kendra says

        February 1, 2010 at 3:56 PM

        Thank you. It was a little chilly out there this morning, but I thought it would add a little something 🙂

        Reply
  2. Kerri says

    February 1, 2010 at 11:21 AM

    Now you’re the one peeking in my windows!

    Expectations and reality are often hard to reconcile. I know it’s something I’ve had to work on constantly. Thanks for the ‘soft’ reminder!

    Reply
  3. Angie says

    February 1, 2010 at 11:45 PM

    Awesome!! That certainly is true, my responce can make a world of difference!! Thanks for sharing from your heart!!

    Reply
  4. Felina says

    July 26, 2012 at 10:08 AM

    Thank you for sharing this! I appreciate being reminded that I can make a difference all by the choices I make and attitudes I have.

    Reply

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