from ehhhh to WOW

This is explains why I was tired, sleepy tired this morning even after being in bed for more than 7 hours. If you are not familiar with fitbit here is an explanation. Fitbit is an activity tracker. It shows how many steps you have taken, how many calories you've burned based on your activity, how much of your activity is considered exercise, how many days out of the week you have exercised and lastly, it tracks your sleep activity. Last night I "slept" 3 hours 17 minutes. I was awake or restless 3 hours 52 minutes. Red is awake time. Light blue is restless time. Dark blue is "sleep". I know what all that restless time was-aching joints, weird dreams. 

I actually woke up a little before 6:50 AM, I was simply laying very still, hoping to fall back asleep before looking at the time. It does not explain how or why I woke up while it was still dark. Normally after a night like that with a day ahead of me that holds absolutely no responsibilities I burrow deep under the covers. If I can't sleep I can at least rest. Usually. But sometimes there are mornings like this. When I woke up, through the grogginess of early morning and cobwebs caused by little sleep, I heard the whisper "I want you to get up and watch the sunrise." I know they happen every morning, but I definitely do not see them very often. So, being the obedient Jesus follower that I am, I checked my weather app to see what time sunrise was. 7:37.  I set my alarm for 7:20 and laid back down, hoping for 30 more minutes of rest. I gave up after a few minutes, got up and dressed and traipsed down the stairs, out the back door and looked to the east to watch the sunrise.

I stood there until 7:40, turned and walked back into the house disappointed. I thought I had heard loud and clear "I want you to get up and see the sunrise this morning." I always know that is God speaking because I rarely think like that unless I am at the beach. Usually the sunrise takes my breath away and fills my spirit. This morning it was ehhh.

I took my meds, drank my green drink, made my coffee, grabbed two muffins and a yogurt out of the fridge and went to the family room to sit for my quiet time. The first thing I wrote was about being tired and asked God, "Please, make me alert enough to be aware of You-to see what You have for me in Your Word."

I read Matthew 4. 

Began journaling my thoughts. 

I didn't get very far.

I was almost blinded by light streaming in the window across from me. 

This is where I looked for the sunrise. 

To the left of that far tree. 

Over the car wash where I have always seen it come up. 

This is where it did come up. 

To the right of where I was focused, from behind our shed.

 Oops, my shed.

After gazing in awe I returned to my journaling.

Convicted?

Admonished? 

Warned?

Filled

"Looking in the wrong place. Lord, please continue to show Yourself to me that I might not look for You in the wrong place. That is why You called to my spirit. That is the reason I am sitting on the opposite side of the room than normal this morning. The reason I could not go back to sleep. Thank you."

I had barely finished writing those words when cloud cover moved in.

Another visual lesson I would have missed had I been in bed. Sometimes dark clouds cover the sun, trying to mask it's brilliance, diminish it's power. But in reality clouds can do no such things. Our perception of what is happening may change, but truth remains true. The sun is shining, bright, bold, beautiful. 

The same is true for the Son. Circumstances, situations may try convince you that He is hiding. That His power is not strong enough to change anything, that His love is not deep enough to reach you. But those are lies from the pit of hell.

He sees.

He cares.

He loves. 

Always.

Be careful to not limit His presence to only the places you are familiar with and you may find yourself amazed by where you "see" Him show up next.