Reason #242
My alarm went off before the sun came up this morning. It was dark, pitch black. I wanted to lay in bed. I wanted to close my sleepy eyes and snuggle under the soft sheets. I just wanted a few more hours of sleep. I didn't want to go to the office so early. But I hit snooze on my alarm clock, turned the alarm off on my phone, and reluctantly rolled out of bed.
My allergies were acting up this morning, and my puffy eyes gave them away. I got ready in the silence. No music this morning, just the quietness of my house. I dashed out the door and hopped in my car. Avoiding all morning traffic, I turned on to the loop and began to drive east. The sun was beginning to rise. As it peeked over the horizon, the sky was painted in beautiful shades of pink and orange. The coulds were plentiful, which only added to the beauty of the sunrise. And as I looked straight into the rising sun my heart was full, and the first thought that came to my mind was "Thank you, Lord, for giving me another day of life. Thank you for allowing me to see another sunrise."
Eleven years ago, today, the sun rose. I was a freshman in high school. I remember going to school and before the end of the morning, every TV was on as we watched towers crumble. Horrified, terrified, confused. I'll remember that morning for the rest of my life. And it just seemed so surreal, like a bad dream. And for the past eleven years, the sun has come up every morning. But many hearts were broken. Many lives were torn apart. And I'm sure as the sun rose this morning, tears fell from eyes and hearts ached from memories.
Pain doesn't just go away, and memories don't disappear. But with each sunrise, life moves on and you find that you can, too. With each sunrise, you are given another chance, another day of life, another opportunity. With each sunrise comes hope and healing. It may take a lot of sunrises to get there, but each new day comes with new mercies. And, for some reason, my heart was overjoyed to witness the beauty of a new day today. To see, with my own eyes, an incredible masterpiece setting new mercies into motion. And I was grateful for the breath filling my lungs. Simply to put it, I was just glad to be alive today. A day of sorrow for many, a day of pain, a day of memories. I know what that feels like. I know the significance dates can play in one's life. But what joy to be given another day. What a gift, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. Because there are days when staying in bed seems like the best option. There are days when staying in bed seems the only option. But praise God for those days when getting out of bed is only hard because you're sleepy. And most of all, I praise Him for painting the sky beautiful colors every morning as a reminder that life goes on. Because beauty and light always come after the darkness, and new days mean new beginnings.
#242 - Sunrises.
"Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy." - Psalm 65:8
My allergies were acting up this morning, and my puffy eyes gave them away. I got ready in the silence. No music this morning, just the quietness of my house. I dashed out the door and hopped in my car. Avoiding all morning traffic, I turned on to the loop and began to drive east. The sun was beginning to rise. As it peeked over the horizon, the sky was painted in beautiful shades of pink and orange. The coulds were plentiful, which only added to the beauty of the sunrise. And as I looked straight into the rising sun my heart was full, and the first thought that came to my mind was "Thank you, Lord, for giving me another day of life. Thank you for allowing me to see another sunrise."
Eleven years ago, today, the sun rose. I was a freshman in high school. I remember going to school and before the end of the morning, every TV was on as we watched towers crumble. Horrified, terrified, confused. I'll remember that morning for the rest of my life. And it just seemed so surreal, like a bad dream. And for the past eleven years, the sun has come up every morning. But many hearts were broken. Many lives were torn apart. And I'm sure as the sun rose this morning, tears fell from eyes and hearts ached from memories.
Pain doesn't just go away, and memories don't disappear. But with each sunrise, life moves on and you find that you can, too. With each sunrise, you are given another chance, another day of life, another opportunity. With each sunrise comes hope and healing. It may take a lot of sunrises to get there, but each new day comes with new mercies. And, for some reason, my heart was overjoyed to witness the beauty of a new day today. To see, with my own eyes, an incredible masterpiece setting new mercies into motion. And I was grateful for the breath filling my lungs. Simply to put it, I was just glad to be alive today. A day of sorrow for many, a day of pain, a day of memories. I know what that feels like. I know the significance dates can play in one's life. But what joy to be given another day. What a gift, even if it doesn't seem like it at the time. Because there are days when staying in bed seems like the best option. There are days when staying in bed seems the only option. But praise God for those days when getting out of bed is only hard because you're sleepy. And most of all, I praise Him for painting the sky beautiful colors every morning as a reminder that life goes on. Because beauty and light always come after the darkness, and new days mean new beginnings.
#242 - Sunrises.
"Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders. From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy." - Psalm 65:8