It’s early on a weekday morning.  I can smell the coffee and hear it gurgle as it brews.  Though the sun is not yet up, my window is open and I can hear the beginnings of the day – the owl in the tree, a few cars on the highway, the wind.  There’s even the smell of rain, though no evidence of it just yet. 

I love mornings.  Though I don’t have to be at work until 8, my alarm goes off at 5:30am.  I wish I could tell you it’s because I work out faithfully every day or because that’s the time that I’ve set aside to pray.  While on occasion those things do happen during this time, the truth is, I just love to be awake and unhurried in the morning.   Paul graciously makes the coffee first thing.  I lie in bed enjoying the sounds and smells of morning in my country house.

After a bit I get up and make my bed, find Paul for a kiss, pour a cup of that great coffee and move to the overstuffed chair in my room.  There I’ll watch the local news as I gradually get my makeup and hair put together, still cuddled up in the chair with a blanket.  

I don’t tolerate controversy in the mornings. No complaining or talk of politics allowed (tricky at my house since my husband is a bit of an activist).  Only sweet conversation to start out the day.

I don’t try to plan my day then either.  The lists can wait.  This is my time to just be.  Sometimes be with Paul.  Sometimes be with Jesus.  Mostly just to be still.

The thing that is so wonderful about mornings is that, to me, they are God’s evidence of grace.  Every day is a new gift from God – a “do-over”, if you will.  No matter how many times I failed the day before, His mercies are new every morning.  That concept is so precious to me that I celebrate it by relishing each moment of the morning free of failure, guilt or stress.

The day will pick up once I climb out of this bathrobe and into clothes for work or play – either way clothing signifies the beginning of activity.  There are things to do, to plan, to work towards.  This day, like all the others, will bring opportunities.  There will be successes, I hope, and failures of some variety, I’m sure.   But before all of that begins, I just need these moments to breathe.  To be still.

I realize of course that not everyone is a morning person (many of you are thinking, “good for you Pam, I’ll do my contemplating at 11pm thank you very much!).   We do all need the break though, between the highs and lows of today and the hope for tomorrow.

Spring brings the same kind of reassurance to me.  The warmth of the sun after a long winter.  Cleaning out flower beds.  Trimming hedges.  Fertilizing, mulching…getting ready for a season of growth. Though there’s a lot of work to be done, there’s such excitement this time of year.  It’s God’s annual “do-over” for the earth.   

Our church is in a spring season…can’t you sense it?  There’s a lot of work to be done to get ready for this new season of growth.  Pastor John is a big part of that but don’t think God’s just going to use him.  We are all tenders of this garden.  Some of us are tillers, some sowers, some waterers and some harvesters but we are all important.

Jeremiah wrote in Lamentations “I remember my affliction and my wandering, yet this I call to mind and there I have hope:  because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning.  Great is your faithfulness!  The Lord is my portion, therefore I will hope in Him.” 

Do-overs.  

Jeremiah understood.  He remembered yesterday but it didn’t matter anymore.  Neither its victories, nor its failures.  God’s compassions – His mercies – are new for today.  That’s what counts.  Today is full of hope.  Hope that I will bravely face each challenge in a way that honors God.  Hope that I will hear His voice and follow Him unquestionably.  Faith that He will empower me to do just that. 

       In the secret, in the quiet place.

            In the stillness You are there….

Whenever your quiet time is, I encourage you let it at least a portion of it be just that – quiet time.  Not study time or prayer time.  Quiet time.  Just hanging out with God and listening.   “He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul.”  David knew that his soul was restored in the stillness.  There’s where he found the strength for the battles ahead. 

There will be battles today.   Battles with relationships, logistics and temptation, just to name a few.  I know they’re coming, but I’m ready because, for this morning, my soul has been restored. 

I’ve had my do-over and I’m ready to go.