Five Minute Friday: Sunrise Sunset

Sunset at the Charleston SC Ravenel bridge

Many people are geared for the morning, they jump out of bed, stretch or exercise right away, ready for whatever may come their way. I on the other hand am not a morning person. If I had my druthers, I would go to bed at 11:30 and get up at 8 a.m.

When I was working a full-time job and had to be at work at 7:30 a.m. I would get up at 5:30 a.m. to arrive on time. Many mornings I would drive to work in the dark but occasionally I would drive in the summer and the sun would be coming up. Although living in upstate New York it was difficult to actually see the sunrise.

When we moved to Charleston, SC, nine years ago, that is when I could really drink in the sunrise. Mostly when I was dropping my daughter off to school. How spectacular the yellow and orange skies were. Being so close to the ocean you can watch the sun coming up over the water. Such wonderful artistry!

God’s creation is so beautiful and it is a shame when we do not appreciate it. When it becomes common place then what? Every day will be the same.

God speaks to us about waking in the morning in Isaiah 50:4. The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed. If we are not grateful for what He is putting before us, are we listening to what He says? Are we being obedient?

Since I am more of a night owl than a morning person, I witnessed many more sunsets than sunrises. They were just as beautiful if not more so. It would seem like the colors were richer and more vibrant in the sunsets. I have included a couple of sunsets from our backyard in Charleston.

Hope that you can watch a sunrise or sunset and give thanks to God for all that He has created, that we get to be part of, on our journey through this life.

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Five Minute Friday: Fix Your Eyes

Picture by Andrea Piacquadio

When you wake up what do you fix your eyes on? What do you see? Do you see the sunlight coming in through the blinds on the window or is it pitch dark? What do you hear? An alarm clock ringing or a dog or child crying for your help and attention? Where does your mind go first thing in the morning? Do you think of all of the tasks that you need to get done at home and at work? How does that make you feel, anxious or excited? For me if I start with my to do list I will easily slip into the nervous/anxious perspective and begin my day not wanting it to start at all.

When we fix our eyes on Jesus first thing in the morning, thanking Him for the day. Saying out loud, thank you Lord for this day, let me rejoice and be glad it came. It puts our minds in a place that is holy, that is grateful, to the one who is for us and never against us.

Let us start our day fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. Remember to come back to Him when you are making that turkey and cheese sandwich for lunch or cleaning the pile of dirty dishes. Continue fixing your eyes on our savior, Jesus, and He will continue to mold and fix you to resemble Him.

Five Minute Friday: Fresh

Picture by Irina Iriser

What comes to mind first is a fresh start, a fresh day, a fresh year. At the end of 2020 I thought this is going to be great a fresh year with new beginnings. Can we start over again?

Fresh smelling flowers on my walk, in my backyard, and in the park. All of God’s wonders to fill the senses. To see the beauty, to feel the sun, to hear the birds, and smell the colorful beautiful roses, the lilies, and the lilac. It gives me peace to be able to use all of my sense in a fresh way.

Fresh smelling laundry when it comes out of the dryer. All clean and ready to be worn again to start a fresh new day.

I wake up to a fresh day and thank God that it is here. That we can partake in the beauty and the bounty of what He provides. Grateful for the newness, the freshness of it all!