Tonight I'll miss bedtime praises & prayers. Tomorrow I'll miss the wake-up duties. Every day I'll be thankful for the days I can do these.This weekend, I was one of many leaders that accompanied Alpine youth to Winterfest. I love the role and always try to be "that" leader that does the morning and bedtime routine that most junior high and senior high kid roles their eyes at. But, we do the routine my way -- we really change it up from the shouting of "LIGHTS OUT" before a blanket of dark and "TIME TO GET UP!" accompanied by a flash of light.
Bedtime praises and prayers. Everyone shares. We always start with praise -- a positive moment or best part of our day. We always share a prayer -- what we hope the next day will bring or what biblical message spoke to us the most that day. We listen. We engage in each other's journey from their perspective.
Wake-up calls. They aren't agressive or angry... at least not to start. A gentle rub on the shoulder, back or arm with a whisper of, "Good morning, [fill in name]. It's time to wake up." Second round, still a soft voice and gentle touch to wake the kids. Then, window open or light on. We embrace the day and many moments and experiences to follow.
Many people fail to seize the opportunity to create an environment of calm positivity to unwind and reflect on the day before bedtime. And, not many take advantage of being the calm positivity that others start a new day with. Like I said, I love this role. It's not one I get to fill often. So, I seize the opportunity when it's given.
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