Nov. 12, 2008 - So about night people...
I really didn't mean to step on toes with my last post - so if you have any rotten tomatoes to throw, throw them at Martha Peace! LOL. I guess you could throw some at me too, since I agreed with her enough to post it, though. 
Anyway, I just wanted to clarify what *I* think, in case anyone cares, lol.
I do believe that there are people with a natural tendency to be either morning or night people. I grew up with an extreme morning-bird mother and an extreme night-owl father. You could not pay my mom enough to stay up late, and you could hardly pay my dad enough to go to bed at 9pm. And, come morning, my mom would spring out of bed, while my dad would drag out of bed.
But even with his natural tendencies, dad never slept late, and he never allowed us kids to sleep late. On occasion, if we were really "lucky", he would let us stay in bed until 8am on a Saturday morning, and then it was "up and at 'em"! I didn't always appreciate that at the time, but I am thankful now for that early training.
I think I am more of a night person by nature. Once I was living on my own, my work schedule was 2pm-10pm, so I would get home around 11pm, without having had supper yet! By the time I had supper and let it settle and "chilled" a bit, it was always at least 1am by the time I'd hit the sack. At first I thought this was fun, but after a short time I quite liking it. I would wake up at 10:30 or so, and still be dragging. Half the day was already gone! It seemed I never got anything productive done.
So, I started making myself get in bed almost immediately upon arriving at home, so I could wake up at a decent hour and then, I had the WHOLE day until I had to be at work at 2pm to do as I pleased. I felt so much better that way.
Ultimately, I believe God designed our world and our bodies so that we would sleep at night and be awake during the day. Sounds almost silly to say so, because it is so obvious! Back not so long ago when people didn't have electricity, Im sure "night owl syndrome" was not nearly so prevalent as it is today! They had to "make hay while the sun shone".
And, as is always the case, modern science confirms the wisdom of God's design. Every hour of sleep we get before midnight is worth two hours of sleep after midnight! It is not healthy for our metabolism to eat after 8:00 pm. Morning is the best time to exercise, etc, etc. If you do some research, it will speak for itself.
And more importantly, what does God's Word say? "Rising early" is all over the Scriptures, from David in the Psalms, to Isaiah, to Jesus Himself who rose to pray while it was still dark. Even the Proverbs 31 woman "rose while it was yet dark" to begin working. (Although it also says her candle goes not out by night - when does this lady sleep??)
I almost always have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning. Actually, I think I could safely say "always", not just almost always! But I find it is SO worth it! When I get out of bed, even a half an hour before the kids, take a quick shower during which I begin meeting with the Lord in prayer, and then have a quick quiet time, even if only one chapter - then I feel so ready to greet the day and greet my children with a smile when they wake up! On the other hand, on those days when I give in to staying in bed instead until they wake me up, things do not go so well. I have a hard time getting a shower once they are up, so I feel grungy instead of fresh. I don't get to spend even a moment before the Lord, so I tend to be grumpier as well. And as I have not had a chance to get in the "drivers seat" of the day and figure out what direction we are headed, I feel the day takes off with me being carried along with no control of the direction. Did you ever have this feeling?
I do usually snatch a few quite moments at night after the kids are in bed to spend time with Fabio, read a bit, blog a bit, or whatever, but I try to limit these activities to not more than one hour after they go to sleep. A kitchen timer can come in handy if you find it difficult to limit time spent on certain activities.
So, anyway, I think Ben Franklin had it right when he said, "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." (Well, healthy anyway, and maybe wise. Still haven't figured out the "wealthy" part yet.... ) 
Comments
Nov. 13, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Kathy
I'm right there with you!
Dec. 5, 2008 - hmmm
Posted by Shelley
I'm very glad to see you soften your stance somewhat after the previous post. Not all activities carried out late after kids are in bed can be considered lazy and selfish. With lots of little feet in my house, this is the best time for me to do things like mopping the floors, etc. But also, make sure that you leave room in your judgments for people who are naturally more productive at night, even if they have become so by training rather than by design. Remember those whose jobs require late nights or even sleeping during the day. I can think of many times I've been thankful to have nurses by my child's bedside at 3am...they have homes to manage also. And beyond all that, after years of feeling guilty for not enjoying my quiet times early in the morning, I have finally accepted that my most precious times of fellowship with my Savior come in the late hours (burning the midnight oil is, after all, a rather old expression). When I discipline myself to put aside all that remains to be done in my home and spend some time at my Father's feet hours after putting the children to bed, I find Him there waiting just as happily as if I had come to Him in the early hours of morning. I have more to pour out to him, and I feel more desperate for His Word. Then I fall to sleep peacefully, and wake feeling refreshed and securely in His presence. If this supreme fellowship means awaking in the mornings at 7, 8, or even 9 (haha...that's a rare one), then I will happily accept even Martha's judgment of my motives or discipline rather than once again guiltily subjecting myself to ideologies that hamper those times of great refreshing.
Dec. 20, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by MotherJoy
Good read. I know that when I stay up late it is out of selfishness, and I feel worse the next day.
Thanks.
Oh, the baby is beautiful!
MotherJoy from RGT
Dec. 28, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Haflingerhorses
I definitley won't throw any tomatoes :)
But...
I do tend to disagree wtih the overall blanket of a statement that all moms that sleep in are lazy and selfish.
I'm a very early morning person(4:00 a.m. is my preferred time to get up and very rarely ever sleep in) but...I do know of very good moms that have a different clock and just work their day different.
Antoinette
Jan. 1, 2009 - Wishing you...
Posted by Autumn
A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...
I hope you had great holidays.....
I also hope you come back to writing and blogging in the new year.....
Sheila
Jan. 4, 2009 - Untitled Comment
Posted by tsukayama
Hey ladies! Thanks for the comments! I will add just one last thought here.... I think that we should try to understand the spirit behind what Martha Peace was trying to say. I certainly don't believe she was targeting those who are up late with sick little ones, who arrange their schedules around a dh who works a late shift, or whatever else. I believe it was written to those mothers who make a habit out of staying up late to pursue their own hobbies while they can be uninterrupted, and then have a hard time getting up to serve their families the following day. Can anyone relate to this? I have certainly stayed up to finish a project or something like that on occasion, but not until the wee hours of the morning or anything like that. Anyway, just to say that I think it is important to understand who she is speaking too. If you happen to regularly fall into that category, maybe now would be the time to make some adjustments. If not, do not be condemned by such a quote! :)
