4:30 am, really?

If you know me, you know that I am an early riser.  I love to get up in the morning when it is just me.  After all, with 4 young children under the age of 8 running around, it is hard to get that alone time.  My routine usually involves:

• praying
• reading some scripture
• dosing off
• checking facebook, twitter and some youth ministry blogs
• working on Cedar Run stuff like lesson prep or emails

The reason why I get up early in the morning is because it is time when I can just have as "Tom" time.  All the girls are asleep and I can really focus in on some things.

The question I have for you all is - do you get that time alone to contemplate, to spend time with the Lord in prayer and search the scripture, to plan ahead for future goals and ideas.  Do you make it a priority or is it just one of the many "to-dos" you try to fit into your day?  When you make it a priority, you choose to do these things regardless of time and structure of your day.

I know I get up insanely early (4:30 am most days), but I cherish these times.  This time where I can do these things are a priority for me.  But, in order to get this time alone, I have to wake up early or stay up late - I choose early.

What do you like to do when you wake up?  Do you get up early enough to have that alone time so where you are not rushed in the morning?  Aren't we rushed enough throughout the day not to be rushed in the morning as well?

This week, spend some time getting up earlier in the morning and:

• find a good place in your house to claim as your morning time
• grab a cup of coffee, soda, juice, whatever
• grab your Bible and prayer journal and, as Samuel did, say to the Lord, "Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3)
• ask the Lord to not just speak to you now, but to start preparing you for what lies ahead.

God has some great plans for our lives.  It would just be a shame to never make time to find out what those plans really are.