Joanne: The morning meeting

Something else we're doing differently since December is having a morning meeting. Every single day. 

 

We sit in our big comfy chairs and talk through our day. How we're feeling. What we're hearing from God. Our plans for the day. Cares. Concerns. Work stuff. Newsy stuff we forgot to tell each other. Stuff about the girls and parenting. Fun stuff. Hard stuff. 

We drink coffee. I eat a bowl of Cheerios with some yogurt and blueberries. Toben reads to me from Scripture. We talk about it. We hold hands. We pray.

It takes anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the day. And Fridays just don't work for more than a few minutes as Toben's coming in from his AA meeting and I'm going out to a standing coffee date with a friend.

Nothing fancy. Nothing too complicated about it. But this small practice of a morning meeting has made such a difference in our marriage in the past few months.

We feel more connected. More united. More on the same page. And we know that we have time set aside each and every day just for us. A time and a place to talk about whatever needs to be talked about. 

Comments

[wendy]

amazing!

[ana f.]

Thanks for sharing! This is a great idea, and something that might work for us. We have 2 toddlers, and we've had difficulty communicating for a while. Having a set time and place, and a plan, could help a lot.

[Kimberly]

We try and do that at night. I would prefer the morning but just can't work with the commuting schedule.

[Cindy Beall]

Good stuff.

We have two chairs like that. We call them our "ma and pa" chairs.

[dawn]

we've stepped in that direction by having a sat morning breakfast date each week. we just have more energy to talk in the morning these days. it has helped us get on the same page for the weekend too. every morning sounds heavenly.

[ask a doctor]

That's awesome.. I think that's the right thing to do.. Keep it up and thanks for sharing it here..

[Jen]

Hi - I just found your blog. I think this is GREAT that you are sharing about your life so openly --- it's so refreshing for me to read about people who also struggle. I mean, it's sucky to struggle...I hate it, but comforting to know that we are not alone nor are we losers because of it. Especially when I get so down on myself - I have depression but the kicker was when I had PPD after both of my children were born (they are only 14 &1/2 months apart) -- the PPD was severe and I was hospitalized each time. I was broken, humiliated and the second time around angry. I am left feeling like I have ruined (yet again) my husband's life. And often times I struggle between knowing when I am not trying hard enough and when I need to call in for extra help (which I really honestly never ask for help - it's something I just have a really hard time doing). I am in counseling, have a psychiatrist, take my meds faithfully and am out of the PPD woods thankfully... but the effects are there. Anyway - sorry for the random babbling...

thanks for writing - Jen

[Chuck Friedenstein]

If there was only one thing I would convey to Christian husbands, it would be to pray regularly with your wife. It took me about 20 years to finally respond to Kay's gentle requests after we came to the Lord. Our schedule is: Monday- church; Tues - family; Weds - our nation; Thurs - friends; Friday - missionaries. When we are praying together, it's pretty difficult ( actually impossible) to not be open with each other about everything, and to resolve anything that divides us. God is faithful, and will continue to bless you through prayer. Toben - thank you for not delaying 20 years like I did.

Love, Dad (age 63, married 41 years, Christian 33 years)