Bedtime Routine

Don't let the title fool you.  This post is not about Georgia!

Every night Jonathan bathes Georgia and does her entire bedtime routine.  During that time I am having my own nightly ritual.

While he's putting her down I clean her bathroom and the living room and office.  She usually has all 3 of these spaces fairly demolished by the end of the day.

Once I'm done with all of that I go in our room, shut the door, draw a bubble bath, get a cup of ice water, and read my devotional with hymns playing in the back ground.  I do this every.single.night.  Even if Georgia and I have had a perfect day I still need my time alone to get the hot dogs out from under my finger nails and the spit up off of my legs and feet.

I sit in the bath (with all the bubbles pushed to the front of the tub because I don't like them to touch me), sip on my ice water, and do my nightly reading.

Once I get out of the bath I finish up my reading if I need to and begin my journaling.  My dad gave me my first journal when I was around 8 and him and my mom were getting a divorce.  Ever since then I've written in a journal as a way to decompress at the end of the day and sort all of my thoughts.  Writing is THE only way I can do this.  I rather write to express how I feel than talk any day.  Yes, I have been writing in a journal almost every day from the time I was 8.  I have a good portion of my life documented in written form.

I usually have Spotify or Pandora hymns on in the background to help keep me focused and I've begun journaling in a prayer journal style since I also blog.  My journal is very private but it goes a little something like this.

My current devotional is "Women of the Bible".  I've read it at least 4 times but at different stages in my life so it always seems different and new.  It usually gives me some kind of focus for the night or direction/insight.  I first start with praises.  I list out all the things I am thankful for that day and thank God for them.  Then, I ask for forgiveness for my less than shining moments of the day.  I don't feel like I can move onto prayer until I have given thanks and rid myself of guilt.  Does that make sense?  So, last I move onto my prayer requests.

After all of this is done I feel so calm and relaxed no matter what kind of day I've had.  Although, this is mainly to give my day "focus" not to just make me feel relaxed.

"My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"

-Horatio Spafford

"It Is Well With My Soul"

What do you do at night to unwind?  Do you have any daily devotionals that you recommend?