Morning Musings

Sunrise from a few days ago.

This mornings sunrise amid the fog.

Taken only a few minutes after the first picture. The sun moves amazingly fast!

I never used to be a morning person. In the quest to find some quiet time in my day, I started setting the alarm clock for 6:00am. After many months, my body is naturally waking at this time. I arise, start the coffee and grab my Magnificat. I head to the living room and sit in my favorite spot. There is a huge window that affords me a spectacular view of the distant mountain.

Now that fall is here, the sunrise is right around my waking time, and not at 4:30, like it is in the summer months. Every morning, there is a new and completely different show that happens outside that window. Some days are so cloudy that it just naturally gets lighter, but there is no great glowing orb rising from behind the hills. But, oh, those days when the sun does burst forth! It is a reminder to me that I get to start afresh, and try again to live this day better than the one before. God is wonderful like that, forgiving and offering anew the chance to be the person I long to be.

This morning was one of those mornings. Every few minutes, the colors changed, the morning fog catching those colors and spreading them across the sky. I sat there, mesmerized, taking photos in the crisp, cool air that also seems so fresh compared to the air at the end of the day. God must purify it somehow as we slumber.


Mornings in our homeschool have given our days a new freshness as well. After listening to Sarah MacKenzie from Read Aloud Revival and Pam Barnhill from "Your Morning Basket" on many a podcast, I have begun a "morning basket" approach to the start of our days. We gather in the living room instead of the classroom. We start with a morning offering, a hymn, and then we do read aloud time. Sometimes it is Shakespeare, sometimes it is our current book "Black Beauty", but whatever we choose, we are gathered together in a cozy, comfortable space.

After morning time, I had envisioned us heading down to the classroom to begin our other work. Since I broke my arm, though, the couch is a great place from which to teach. I can pile up pillows for my arm and have my planner next to me. We have done almost no school in the "classroom" so far this year.

In an attempt to keep my anxieties at bay, while the kids are working I have tried crocheting, which is much more doable with one arm than knitting, seeing how you only have one needle instead of two. At first, I stuck the crochet hook in the splint and did all the moving of the yarn with my right hand. I managed to make a purse. As my fingers have regained some of their mobility and strength, I can now hold the crochet hook with my fingers. Anna has joined me in making little circles that will hopefully become a blanket.

I have come to the end of my morning cup of coffee and now I must try to get some things done while the kids are away. They have joined the youth bowling league on post and Tony takes them every Saturday morning. Have a blessed day!