I want to comment on Monday’s post about "Basic Rules For Daily Living." I’ve been thinking about them all week, and especially the first one about taking 20 minutes for yourself first thing every morning. I take that to heart.
In fact, it’s something that I’ve been practicing for quite a long time in my depression because that’s been good for me to do. I actually try to spend my entire mornings alone with God to think about things (trying to "think" more positively) and praying.
The first thing I do every morning after making my coffee is to sit down in here to drink it. I used to drink two cups every morning to "sort of" get going, but then, as the depression deepened, it increased to three. That’s still where I am now, even though the depression seems slightly better with the new medication.
I read my e-mail and read all of the new comments on my blog and pray about any that need prayer. This week on Monday’s post, there were a couple of rather anguishing comments that I’ve poured over and prayed over all week, and continue to do so. One was from Kinney Mabry, who blogs as "preacherman."
This young minister in a tiny town in the hill country of Texas is in mighty need of prayer, so please, if you would, drop by there and leave a comment in offering he and his young family your prayers.
I try not to have to have any phone calls all morning, too. Business can usually wait until afternoon, when my frame of mind is better and I begin to function better.
My first contact of the day is usually with Tom, when he comes home from work to get away from too much morning at work. He seeks the solace and comfort of home at lunch every day and I need his presence, so the combination works out well. I fix his lunch every day and then he reads for a while and then takes a short nap, usually, before going back to the hustle and bustle of his job, which is very stressful for him. So I pray for him, too.
I know that I’m in a unique place in life, being disabled and being in a place of quiet so much of the time and I know how hard it is to do, but I would strongly encourage each of you to stay at least 30 minutes a day to spend in quiet, meditative time. Maybe you can do it in the morning or maybe not till before you go to bed, but whenever is better than none.
Think about it. And work on your photos as you do because this is the last weekend to get them in! Email them to me as jpgs to "dee_andrews@bellsouth.net" The winners will be announced sometime next week as soon as I can find the time to work on them because I have doctors’ appointments all day Monday and Wednesday.
If you need the directions and "rules," go back and read "Third Annual Winter Desktop Photo Contest Kicks Off Today" real quick and then get those photos in!
In the meantime,
Cheers & Many Blessings to each of you today! Dee
A 3-cups of coffee morning sounds good. We need that quiet time if for no other reason than to filter the world out and allow God in. Hang in there Dee and we’ll continue to pray for you. I’m going to visit “preacherman.”
Have a great weekend & hoping all your Dr’s app. R good ones !
huggs
Glad to see you blogging!
I take some time each morning after I get to work to just read in the Bible and think about what I’ve read. I’m working through Joshua right now. It’s usually the best part of the day.
Thanks for sharing this Dee. Since last fall my wife Ann has been in a wheelchair so I resonate with your thoughts around depression and disability. I find that often my prayers are difficult because prayer is sometimes about letting go of the answers. (http://eye4redemption.blogspot.com/2006/12/letting-go-of-answers.html)
Blessings, Bob
Right now, my quiet time is when I read my Bible at night before going to sleep. My mother does it in the mornings, though, with her coffee, and that seems much better to me. Sometimes I get too sleepy to read very long!
I drink 2 cups of coffee in the morning, and then save one for after lunch. Maybe I could save two for after lunch and read then while my 3-year-old son has his “quiet time.”
Excellent post Dee.