Good Morning

            It’s what I’ve prayed for. For years and years. And now that I don’t have a need for it, it’s happened.

            I’m now a morning person.

            I wish it had happened when I was in college. I sure could have used the energy, especially the semester I scheduled daily 8 a.m. classes. Big mistake, yet one from which my children have benefited. My advice to them, which may or may not be the better part of wisdom, has been to schedule classes when you’re most likely to attend. Work with what you’ve got.

            Being an early riser would have also been helpful while raising young children. When they were finally asleep at night, I seemed to get a second wind and had the desire to complete something. Anything. A dress. A wreath. A hair bow. Something I could start and finish. I needed tangible progress since cooking, cleaning, and picking up toys never ended. However, staying up late did not mesh well with children who woke up early.

            And I certainly would have benefited from energy in the mornings during the season I spent teaching. Enter large amounts of caffeine. The first cup of coffee was poured while everyone else slept. I wanted to be awake early enough so that I could pray before the rush of activity began.

Morning prayer has long been a goal (unfortunately, but honestly, not one I had in college.) To compensate for the times I failed, I would grab moments of prayer throughout the day: when the children napped, as I drove, or when I opened my Discover bill. I learned to  snatch prayer time here and there.

            Now that I don’t work, don’t have to wake kids up for school, and still have some time to wait until I’m old enough to attend college free, I’ve become a morning person. Whether it’s a habit or just part of the aging process, I’m enjoying it.

            I love having a quiet time to read, pray, and ponder the day before me. In addition, I’ve clung to the small, yet fervent whispers of prayer I learned to shoot to Heaven whenever a need crossed my mind. So now,  as I alter Brooke’s dress, I pray for the young woman who grew up down the street and into my heart. When a character in a fictional novel reminds me of my brother,  I close the book and intercede for Matt. As Victoria walks out of the house with her car keys in her hand… well, if you’re a parent of a teenager you can fill in that blank.

            Various translations of 1 Thessalonians 5:17 offer the same message. “Pray without ceasing.” “ Pray continually.” “Pray all the time.”  Praying throughout the day, not just in church or at a specific time, keeps my focus on God. And that’s another thing I’ve prayed for.

 Ronny may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.