A cup of coffee and a quiet morning

Best friends!

I'm sitting on the recliner with my laptop and a cup of coffee. I just finished my morning devotions and my daily dose of Dr. Richard Carlson's Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and I'm appreciating the sound of silence. Well, silence in the house at least. The roadwork outside has been roaring since 7:30, but it's become so much a part of every day for the last few weeks, that I can pretty much ignore it.

I love mornings. Since my husband retired in May, this is the only real me-time I can count on. Not that we're together non-stop throughout the rest of the day, but at least I know I won't have to speak to anyone for a couple of hours. I love that.

Bill and I traveled to Manheim, PA this past Tuesday and spent several days at my 85-year-old mother's house. That is why I'm especially enjoying this particular Monday morning. You see, my mom gets a bit frustrated (or maybe disgusted is a better word) if I'm not downstairs by 8:30. So... I rush around getting ready for the day first thing in the morning and then head down to the kitchen armed for constant conversation from then on. Not that there's anything wrong with that. But my brain prefers easing into the day with a bit of silence before being assaulted with a steady flow of words.

Maybe that's why I was more prone to accepting my own Sabbath experiment. I'm not wired to thrive on constant stimulation. I appreciate silence. I relish stillness. I despise the need for electronic this-and-that on a never-ending basis. 

Yesterday, our minister, Tom Fodi, mentioned my Sabbath Experiment during his sermon. After a Saturday night of sleeplessness, I stayed home on Sunday morning and missed church. But my husband filled me in on the sermon and I was happy to hear "my" message being shared. I started the experiment over 2 years ago in September of 2010. Since then, it became my Sabbath Experience, after I discovered there was no longer anything experimental about it. Now, it's a necessary way of life.

This past week, I opted for a Friday Sabbath, since I was already at my mom's and wasn't planning on working. I spent the morning decorating her house for Christmas. Then I had a lovely 2-hour lunch with my best friend of 50 years and our husbands. We caught up with each other's lives (we live 240 miles apart) and we laughed. We always laugh when we're together, which is one of the reasons I cherish our friendship. Plus, there's something so valuable about having someone in your life who has shared the intimate details of it for 5 decades! This year marks our Golden Anniversary and I'm incredibly proud of that milestone. It represents not only my worth of having a friend, but also my ability to be a friend. Priceless. I love you, Dawn.

After lunch, Bill and I headed home. It was a pleasant and relaxing drive... perfect for a Sabbath. We watched a movie before going to bed and I turned off my alarm. Sleeping in on Saturday, after a rather stressful week, was the plan, but the road crew outside usurped it. Oh well, there was work for me to do. My Sabbath was over and it was time to get busy. Speaking of which, my work is breathing down my neck right now, demanding my attention. Better go address it; there are deadlines looming. Oh, and I hear Bill stirring. Conversation is about to break the silence. But how blessed am I to have a loving husband here at home to have that conversation with?

How do you like to spend your mornings?