It's all in how you look at it

We woke at four a.m. to the sounds of a beeping alarm clock.  In order to leave the house around 6:20 a.m. we would have to start getting ready.  I was feeling uncertain about this unusual routine.  This meant leaving two hours earlier than usual.  I thought of my small children.  Surely this would be hard for them!  Waking up at such an hour!  

Why were we doing this you ask?  It's this thing called a "Sunrise Service".  I remember when I was first introduced to this practice.  I thought it was a crazy idea.  Especially for mothers of small children!  Each year after that, I struggled with it.  When it was announced that it was coming up, I would only think of all the reasons I did not want to experience it.  I think it mostly had something to do with my schedule and the fact that I don't want it messed with much.  

We mommies are very passionate about maintaining our schedules aren't we?

Each year I would think to myself, "Shouldn't I be exempt from this?"  I would secretly hope that my husband would tell me that it was ok if we didn't go.  I hoped that he would decide that it was an absolutely insane idea to get everyone up that early and go to church.  But he never did.  

Each year, I would try harder to make the best of it.  I would have to make an effort to adjust my heart's focus.  

I would tell myself things like "Don't worry, it'll be fine.  Focus on the message, not on how cold you are during the sunrise."

I would lament that it was such a struggle for me to have the right attitude about it.  Everyone else seemed to be enjoying it so much.

I have to admit, this year I still found myself struggling a little bit.  I just wasn't convinced that this was a good idea yet.  Of course, I did everything I could to make it work and not show my true feelings about it.  I resolved in my mind that this is what my church is doing and so we are going to be a part of it, with as much joy and enthusiasm as I could muster.

I think this year was a turning point for me.  

It began with the twenty minute drive out to church. 

Gazing out the front window of our van I was awestruck by the view.  

An old song played on the cassette player.  "We shall rise!  Hallelujah! We shall rise!  Amen!"

I felt gratitude that we had found a couple old cassettes recently and now we had music in our recently acquired van.

My heart swelled as we sang along.  Songs about meeting Jesus and being with him forever.  I looked out my window at the clouds gradually brightening with sunlight and dreamed of him coming again.

In that moment, I wished that I had been more positive about this experience. 

I resolved that in the future I want to make the most of every opportunity that comes for me to honor and praise my King.  Even if it's earlier in the morning than I'm used to.

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{Later that day}

This was dinner...

{My husband's amazing Paella}

These were snapshots of kiddos taken in between being chased around the back yard by mom and dad...

I can honestly say that from sunrise to sunset

this was a beautiful day!