Whatever is Lovely...
Dear Friend,
It’s me. Morning. I come around way too early most days. I give you challenges like loud kids, lunch packing, and sad news reports. I can be your worst enemy if you let me. I bring you the toughest part of your day -those minutes between your alarm and when your feet hit the ground. You have a bunch of choices in those moments. You can can grab your phone and scroll through social media for way too long. You can hit snooze. You can do math to decide if you can ready in less time. Can I tell you a secret? Math and I don’t get along very well. What’s another fifteen minutes? Thirty? As long as I present no more challenges, you’ll be on time, but I don’t tend to work that way. I make you sluggish and a bad decision maker. I make it hard to choose to work out or read your Bible. I’m your morning and I can be kind of a jerk.
On the other hand, I’m beautiful. My skies can be pink or orange or yellow. I bring the sounds of animals. I can be foggy or snowy. I feel cool in the middle of summer. Did you know you have more control over me than you think? If you allow me, I can be a great time to be with God. I’m the best when you get time with me alone or with a friend. I go great with coffee and tea. I don’t have a dress code. In fact, I prefer fuzzy jammies. I’ll never comment on your bedhead. Remember Philippians 4:8? It says,
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”
I love that verse and I always felt like it applies to me more that another time of day. Think about it. What’s a better time to dwell on lovely and praiseworthy things? I can be something you look forward to if you do this. Use me to think about things that are excellent. Use me to pray. Use me to read scripture. Use me to meet with a good friend and encourage her. I promise you, if you use me to think of those things admirable and lovely, I’ll change your entire day.
My friends noon and afternoon and evening will call and thank me. They’ll be like, “Morning, I don’t know what you did with our friend, but man she’s unstoppable today. Keep it up. Who knows what we’ll accomplish tomorrow and the day after that if you do.”
I typically get a bad rap. There are people who say things like, "I’m not a morning person". What does that even mean? Have they seen me? I’m new everyday. I’m a gift from my maker. And here’s a big secret, I’m not promised.
All my love,
Morning