Hello, Monday!

  I love Mondays!  I know. Weird, right?  There's just something about a fresh start that brings a smile to my face and a warm, fuzzy feeling to my heart.  I know that "Monday" is a dirty word to most.  So here are a few things I did to take my feelings from loathing to loving this infamous day:

• Give yourself LOTS of grace on Mondays.  Did you hit snooze one too many times? Dragging yourself (possibly kicking and screaming) out of bed?  Sloppily caking the peanut butter on the kids' toast because you just don't feel like making breakfast? I, for one, have a hard time revving up my engine in the morning, and Mondays are no exception. I basked in the gloriousness of having my husband home all weekend, and now I have to step up my game once again.  I used to mentally beat myself up every Monday for every.little.mistake I made.  I played the comparison game, told myself how other moms were probably handling each situation better.  It got old... fast!  So I got on my knees and asked the Lord to show me how to approach Mondays His way: Gracefully.  No, not in the Swan Lake, beautiful ballerina way.  He wants us to give ourselves a break.  Just as He is a God of grace and forgiveness, He'd like us to apply that to ourselves.  Did you mess up?  Acknowledge that, forgive yourself, and move on!  Dwelling in your mistakes will only cause your day to crash further into a humdrum of self-loathing and "what-ifs."  Be gracious to yourself and to your kids.  Understand that starting over can sometimes take multiple tries.  That's okay.  Be nice to yourself when things don't go your way and give yourself that pat on the back you deserve when things go according to plan.
• Focus on the positives.  Monday is like a "start over" button.  Take advantage! Did you have a bad week last week?  Start over!  You get to tackle this week in a way that you've never done before. Search for those things that make you smile, and celebrate them!  Did one of your children do something kind for a sibling?  Point it out and shower them with praise! Is one of your little ones extra cuddly today? Praise God! They sensed you needed a pick-me-up and they wanted to bless you in their own, sweet little way.  There are lots of blessings to be thankful for every day... even on Mondays!
• Plan Ahead!  If I am unprepared, we are faced with nothing short of chaos on Monday mornings.  I try to take an hour or two every Sunday afternoon or evening to prepare my heart and mind for the week to come.  I also go over lesson plans, put together to-do lists, meal plan, and try to get the house organized and ready for all of our activities and projects.  This has helped me to sleep better on Sunday night, knowing that I can get up, grab a cup of coffee, and get going with our school day Monday morning.  Preparation is key to a successful Monday!
• Add in some fun! To curb boredom right from the get-go, I like to add in at least one fun activity to give the kids something to look forward to each week.  The first Monday of every month we have "Pinterest Day" in place of our regular schooling.  We do our family devotions, math, and reading as usual, but then we throw out the rest and dig in to projects, science experiments, fun worksheets, games, and other great finds we've discovered on Pinterest.  It makes for a great day.  Other ways I like to mix it up on Mondays would include picnic lunches (indoors or out), student-led classes (my older kids thoroughly enjoy this), movie day (to replace our afternoon quiet time), and anything else my kids might suggest the week before.  I like to pull from ideas the kids bring to me because adding in the fun is that much more exciting when they come up with it on their own! 
• Stop giving Monday so much power!  It is only a day.  No more powerful or evil than any other day.  The fact that we dread it so much is silly, if you really think about it.  Why give so much credit to a measly day when the Creator of that day is in control?  God has got your back! A day is only made up of hours. Hours are made up of minutes.  Minutes, seconds.  Take one minute at a time if you have to, but realize that it's not Monday you're fighting.  Satan thrives when we have a negative outlook.  He LOVES that we hate Mondays and he uses that to his advantage.  Put the power back in God's court.  He wants nothing but goodness and blessings for you and He wants your companionship.  When we look away to spit on Monday, we're turning away from His face.  Keep your eyes on Jesus and Monday will become a blessing instead of a burden.  

How do you embrace Monday in a positive light?  What tips and tricks can you share with others to help them wake up and welcome Monday with a smile?