Eric's Monday Sermon; One, Two, Three
Facing the day!
Sometimes we just ain't in the flow.
Habits are not always bad things. For instance it is my habit to be up early and greet each person in my home with a hug as they arise and wipe the sleep from their eyes. Each person is different so some hugs have no words attached, some are bear hugs and some are very gentle. We never address the day. How rude that would be to just wake up and have somebody start you out with a list of "to do" items. Nope that would not be cool.
Now we do not always have someone around to give us a morning hug. Some folk prefer it that way and for others it is a sad fact. Others still do not want a hug first thing. My wife was like that for 4 - 5 years. Now she just kind of shuffles up with eyes half closed and stands pitifully until hugged. My youngest son does not know life without morning hugs. My older children are real sleepy heads but put their arms out and hug back like it was better than that first cup of coffee. Back to those alone. Take your right hand and place it under your left armpit. Take your left hand and place it near your right shoulder and squeeze gently. And softly say "I love you".
Now you have completed step 1
Whenever Monday Comes
Work the morning shift.
Prayer, meditation and reading.
Let us be fair here. Some people are just not going to wake up and feel like praying meditating and reading some uplifting stuff. Today I did not. But like I said I like habits. My habit no matte what is to say "Thank you" out loud. Sometimes that is the best I can do as far as prayer goes first thing. Then we pause and check out the body. What hurts and what does not. A few deep breaths and some minor rotation of parts. Again I say thank you even if things are not so good with the old bones. Then we "read" something. Sometimes that is brutal before coffee. So I read the latest coloring posted on the fridge and move on.
Laugh and scoff but that is all it takes to complete step two. Highly recommended to do it all Gucci and take a lot longer but hey, Monday morning is not always that good first thing.
Mountains to climb.
If you have never woken up in jail, thank your lucky stars cuz Mondays are tough in the can.
Step 3
Bite off what you can chew. Pick something that you can do and do well and focus on it. You got stuff to do first thing Monday morning. Pick an easy one and start anticipating kicking some butt first thing in the morning. Just a task that has to be done, is of no great consequence (or maybe one that is) and hit it hard and complete it. I have climbed some mountains in my day. One thing that holds true in each climb is the first step. Sometimes that first step after hoisting your pack just plain hurts. So you take another. I climbs start with one step forward. I can do one step first thing Monday morning.
Now you are ready for Monday. You have already started it out right with minimal effort and you are already trudging that happy road to a great week.
Now go hug somebody, take time to give thanks and do one thing real well. And remember if nobody told you yet this morning, you are loved.
