Don't Lose That First Battle

"Conquer yourself each day from the very first moment, getting up on the dot, at a set time, without granting a single minute to laziness.  If, with the help of God, you conquer yourself at that moment, you'll have accomplished a great deal for the rest of the day.  It's so discouraging to find yourself beaten in the first skirmish!"   St. Josemaria Escriva from The Way, (191)

Here is the scene:  You a hear an annoying, glaring sound coming from your phone. No, it isn't a nightmare you are aware that you are awake.   You also know that it isn't a call since the sound is different.  You look around the room and you realize that it is still dark.  A part of you hopes that this is one of those semi conscious states where you are sort of still dreaming, but not awake.  However hard you try to believe this you know that it's not true, your eyes are open and you are awake.  It can't be! You think to yourself.  It's time to get up.  You try to get up, but you press your snooze button about a dozen more times before you finally awake.  Once you awake you realize that you're late for work.  You only have about 10 minutes to get ready.  You curse the day, before it even begins and you're on your way with your burned coffee and bagel shoved up your mouth.

Does this sound familiar?  Unfortunately for me, yes.

Let's face it mornings are dreadful to most of us.  No one likes to hear the piercing shrieks of an alarm clock.  There is something so cruel about being jolted out of our couple hours of feigned tranquility.  Unfortunately, though understandable this type of start to a day is not compatible with our faith.  It is OK to wake up tired,  but not OK to delay waking up at an appointed time.  Why?

Because it sets the tone for our entire day.  If we do not get up on the right foot then everything else suffers especially our spiritual life.  If we are too busy shoving that bagel, or breakfast bar, while we are leaving the door how can we even get in the proper state to pray, to offer our gratitude for waking up, for having another day to love God and others?

Next time I would suggest instead of pressing the snooze button to get up right away and to thank God. If we all would do this more often I can assure you that we will all be laying the proper foundation for a Godly, Christ centered day.  Sure, it might be unbearably difficult for the first couple of minutes, but once we train our minds this way we will begin to look forward to our mornings instead of dreading them.