It's a New Day, It's a New Dawn

October 17, 2014

 

There is nothing quite like waking up, taking in the chirping of the birds and the calmness of a brand new day.  Cup of coffee in hand, collecting my thoughts for the day and all the while choosing how the day will soon be spent.  There is no sense of hurry, stress or worry unless I choose to find some reason to make those feelings appear.  (And, please notice I said choose.) 

 

 

 

I am fortunate that this is how I now spend my mornings, with a new day before me full of many possibilities.  For once I’m not relying on someone else to make up my mind for me on what the day will bring.  Unfortunately, after travelling for a little over two months, I have already started to take this for granted.  During these moments, I have to remind myself of the hussle and bussle of my past mornings, crazy mornings, where the last thing I was thankful for was waking up. 

 

 

So let me say, before our change of lifestyle, most of my mornings sure didn’t start with the chirping of the birds.  In fact, to be brutally honest, most days I didn’t even hear the darn birds at all.  And, appreciate the miracle of a new day that God had given me?  Um, yeah…I didn’t notice the miracle, because I was caught up in the noise of my life.  This noise coincided with the constant urge to be somewhere.  Sad, I know.  I was living a life where I wasn’t living on my own time, but the time of others and their clock didn’t always tick in my favor.  I typically found myself frustrated.  First at my alarm, then second, at the small time window I had to get the kids out the door and all the while making sure we all made it out with as little drama as possible to our desired (or not so desired) destinations.  Days where “Mom, I don’t have any clean school uniforms!” or “How could I forgot to get gas…are you kidding me!?” were part of the equation, than you might as well forget any chance of me seeing the sunrise, taking in the day or giving praise to the all-powerful God of the universe—those things weren’t likely to happen first thing in the morning. Unless it was a weekend, a new day was pure exhaustion.

 

 

Nights were no exception and they didn’t bring any reprieve from this mentality.  There is the drive home and then a couple of hours to get all the chores done, dinner cooked, homework checked, kitchen cleaned and pretty soon off to bed with barely a thought on the actual day’s events or progress.  I should have taken time to reflect on the day, but I didn’t.  How much quality time were we even spending with our kids or as a family?  Where was the main focus?  I wanted to appreciate the day, I wanted to stop and smell the roses and I wanted to be mindful about doing heartfelt deeds in reflection of a loving God.  I did in moments at a time, but not consistently.  Not every day.  Looking back life reminded me more of a test of endurance.  I was shooting a shot of double espresso instead of sipping a mocha latte.  It is amazing how quickly life passes when you don’t stop to check out the scenery.  Years gone in what felt like a blink.

 

 

 

So, then there is our new life.  We now have a slower pace and the absolute privilege of living on our own time. 

 

 

 

I won’t let this simple blessing go unnoticed, and it is just that—a blessing.  We are fortunate beyond words.  I will strive to remind myself of the pleasure to wake up without the burdens of the world weighing on my mind.  I will find a way to give out of a thankful and cheerful heart to make the world a little brighter. 

 

 

 

 

I will learn to relish in the miracle of a new day dawning, giving thanks for the chirping birds, my cup of coffee and the chance to spend another day as I choose with the people I love.