Mercies

I have never been a morning person. Understatement. There have been times this has been more painful than others.

When I had to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day to jump into a cold indoor pool when it was zero degrees Fahrenheit outside.

When I had to wake up at 5:30 a.m. every day to jump into a cold outdoor pool when it was zero degrees Celsius outside.

When I was going through a divorce and woke up every morning in a drab dorm room in Topeka, Kansas feeling broken but had to go to work and be a people-person. Truthfully, I would go into my office and lie down on the floor and weep. That was a hard time.

Still, when the alarm goes off and it's still dark outside I sometimes flash back to those times and do feel grateful that I am getting up to a cute 2-year-old and a nice hot cup of coffee.

I'm bleary-eyed as I type this morning - I stayed up too late last night as usual - and what I meant to do was open my Bible to spend some time with God. His word states that we are to give us our firstfuits. I'm not sure that means exhausted, going-through-the-motions-before-coffee thing or a give Him our best thing. He deserves it.

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The above was written three years ago when I had a 2-year-old to wake up to. I've gotten better at the morning thing, by the grace of God, and in one week I'll be up bright and early to take that girl to kindergarten. "God is close to the brokenhearted," Psalm 34:18.

I have hastily posted this one in preparation for a new adventure. Stay tuned.