Getting Up Early

My name is Rebecca and I am NOT a morning person. (said as though I am at a "sleeping in" addict meeting) For the last few months I have been asking myself and my Heavenly Father what needs to change in my life so I can feel closer to the Spirit. And for months I have known the answer...

I have a job...four hours a day I update links for a website where you can watch TV and movies and such called Yidio.com.  My normal routine would be working two hours in the afternoon while my youngest slept and then working another two at night after the kids are in bed. This worked out really good for a while...but then the night time hours started getting later and later until some nights I was working from 12a-2a or if I wouldn't get in my afternoon hours (which happened a lot) I was working from 10p-2a.  It was draining me and getting hard to stay awake and positive and happy and patient. So without thinking my work hours were the culprit, I asked my Heavenly Father and searched my soul for what I could do to bring me closer to the spirit. I came to the answer months ago in church that I needed to start doing my work hours in the morning and afternoon so I could go to bed early at night.  This is something VERY hard for me. I am as they say, a "night owl" I can't remember the last time I have been in bed before 11pm.  11pm is early for me. The night time hours are precious to me because the kids are asleep and I am able to do projects, and laundry and other things without my little minions needing my attention.  So, I put off this answer - I knew it was my answer, but I put it off and put it off. Well I started to feel farther and farther away from the Spirit. I started thinking I could do it all on my own. Be a mom, a wife, an employee, sister, friend etc.. without help from the spirit.  I kept getting the same answer...(to wake up early) through friends, through my sister, through my husband, through conference talks, through church lessons and church talks.  

Finally after months and months of stewing this answer in my mind and heart I put it to the test two weeks ago. I waited for a Monday morning and got up at 5:30a - read my scriptures, said my morning prayers (which I probably hadn't done in...well in a while) and then did 2 hours of work in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon and went to bed relatively early at night. I did that for a whole week. I told Heavenly Father this was my goal and I could feel unseen strength helping me get out of bed. The difference in that week was amazing.  I felt more energized, I got MORE housework done. I was a better person, a happier person, a better mother. I felt worthy of the spirit and received more promptings that week on big and small issues in my daily life.  All this was because I finally followed the prompting I received months ago to get up early. I am not saying I am perfect at it. Some mornings I may only get an hour in and a couple mornings last week I did sleep in. However, I KNOW that following the promptings of the Spirit and getting up early blessed my life. So in reference to this blog, Getting Up Early (and following the promptings of the Spirit) put me in a wonderful mood. It was amazing. So grateful my Heavenly Father has the patience I lack.