Sunday Mornings

I don't know if there's anything quite like the peace of waking up on a Sunday morning without an alarm and seeing the golden gleam of early morning through my window. Especially now that autumn is creeping its way into the air, giving it a crisp feel. This morning I simply lay in the silence, appreciating the silence pervading my mind and heart. For those who have not tried this strategy of contemplation, I say try it out. Too often we let the alarms of life dictate our schedule from sleeping to working to homework. By allowing my body to wake me up I can feel rested spiritually and physically.

Of course, that means we must be able to wake up before noon without the aid of an alarm. I realize this may be difficult for some. I have had numerous friends who simply won't wake up until noon if they don't set an alarm. Sine I have never truly had that problem, I can give no real advice. I can only speculate that our bodies will do as we train them. If we deny them rest for years at a time, they may begin to rebel against our efforts to wake up on time.

But as I said before, I've really never been one to sleep in, not from the time I was a child. My parents' early morning scripture and prayer routine at 6 am made it a habit to wake up quickly and move out. When Mom would come by, singing brightly, we had only a few seconds to roll out and report to the family room with our scriptures before Dad would come by, knocking loud enough to wake someone in a coma. So I am used to a gentle waking, not the harshness of an buzzing alarm, but the sweet voice of my mother saying (and sometimes singing), "Good morning" or, "Rise and shine."

Perhaps it is those years of waking early for spiritual renewal (alright, I'll be honest, attempts of spiritual renewal) that make cool Sunday mornings near to heaven for me. But I believe that the Lord is awake then as well, waiting for me to come to Him and find answers in the rare stillness of the morning. He knows that I won't be distracted by the traffic of life so He opens the windows of heaven and lets me catch the exquisite breeze.