Or you could replace Attitude with Sleep.

I got in bed at 10:15 last night, read The Shallows for a quarter-hour, and was asleep shortly after. Even with a middle-of-the-night interruption from a thirsty first-grader, I felt well-rested when my alarm went off at 6:30.

Would you look at that? Eight hours of sleep actually lets you get up and not feel tired. I am not used to going to bed early, just as I am not used to feeding the kids breakfast at 7:15. We have had one relaxing, homebound summer, but it couldn’t last forever. Oh, how I wish it could last forever!

Today marks the transition to school for these big, and ever bigger, kids in 1st, 3rd, and 6th grades. And today marks the time for me to make an attitude adjustment about the end of summer and the start of everything that is not summer. I get to model flexibility, grace, and perseverance for the school year ahead. Considering the fact that major sufferings in my life have been minimal to this point, it is a privilege to have a way to work on my heart. Lord, help me.

I recently put together a page of “Mindful Mantras” to read regularly in the early morning quiet of our bathroom, as I prepare for my days as a mom and co-teacher this fall.  I also plan to pull out the paper in its plastic sleeve at various times during our at-home days, on an as-needed basis, to help restore sanity, patience, and joy.

These mantras are verses, quotes, and prayer prompts I’ve curated from my personal readings over the past few months.  Here is a link for anyone who would like to print these for your own use.

Alexander McCall Smith said that One or two people can set the tone for a place, can’t they?  

They can, and Dear God, let my attitude lead the way.