Unrushing the Mornings
“An unrushed morning is a quiet gift—where peace sets the tone, intention finds its voice, and the soul has space to breathe before the day begins.”
If your family is anything like mine, mornings are a series of rushed interactions. In our household that looks like running through the days to-dos with my hubby, only half-focused as I’m working on making his breakfast to-go and getting everyone else’s on the table so I can avoid the “where’s my food?!” whining when the boys make their way downstairs. Then it progresses to constant pleading to knock of the silly behavior at the breakfast table, finish your oatmeal and focus on the devotional I’m reading for us. Yelling up the stairs, as I hear them battling in the bathroom, to stop punching each other and finish brushing their teeth. And rattling off a checklist of to-dos to each of the boys, while I pack lunches and mentally run through my own morning to dos, hopefully getting a chance to brush my teeth before we load into the car. Whew. The whirlwind of each morning is real and exhausting!
For us, something needed to change. We were all feeling the rush, all impatient with each other and definitely not showing up as our best selves. We needed more time, more patience, and more display of love.
Enter the solution: practicing a short moment of gathering and sending the family. It’s habit number three in the book “Habits of the Household” by Justin Whitmel Earley and it's super simple. It’s just a brief time of morning prayer together. We gather in the kitchen or maybe at the door to the garage and I lead the family through a short prayer. We join hands and stand in a circle and say something like these words: “Father, thank you for this day.” (And everyone repeats after me.) “Bless us as we work, learn and play. (repeat”. “Be present with us, and in all we do may we bring glory and honor to you.” (repeat). “Amen!”
This communal prayer becomes the transition point between getting dressed and ready in the morning and us all going our own ways out into the world for the day. It’s a moment to pause, snap out of the frenzied, hurried mental state, take some slow breath, and allow our hearts our mind and reset before we go out into the world. It replaces rush, worry and hurry with peace, through prayer.
It sends each one of us into the day with a purpose. We begin the day in love, and are sent out in the day with love so we can show God‘s love to others.
I realize this seems unrealistic. Most of us, myself included, are perpetually running late to get out the door, so it seems impossible to add another step that will take more time. Yet I’ve realized that actually slowing down and allowing this mental (and what becomes a physical) reset, actually speeds things up. We’re all in a better mood, our voices are calmer and more respectful, and we’re actually able to be more efficient in getting into the car and doing whatever is next on the schedule.
I encourage you to give it a try, in whatever way works for your family. It may be prayer, it may be a quiet moment of deep breathing together, purifying your mind and soul with each exhale. It may be an unrushed, 30 second group hug. Do whatever feels right for you. It’s all about the pause. Taking a moment to connect with God and each other and allowing God to direct our days according to his slow, peace-providing rhythm.
Hi, I’m Chrissy Horner!
I’m passionate about helping women curate the healthiest, most joy-filled versions of themselves. Follow Rooted & Refining for healthy recipes, workout suggestions, faith-filled mindset tips, and simple ways to bring more fun into your everyday life. Sign up today!
