This is the day - Psalm 118:24

Happy New Year!

This morning, I mustered all of my will power and emerged from beneath the warm, heavy down comforter. We woke up to the first freeze of the year. Praise God, we woke up! (Isaiah 50:4)

As Larry and I were getting dressed, the family's smallest set of feet came padding down the hall. Caleb walked into the bedroom, eyes squinting at the light and smiling from ear to ear. "Hi, Daddy. Hey, Momma." He went straight to my side of the bed and snuggled into my pillow, all the while smiling.

Next came Gideon. Same squinting eyes and same broad smile. He went straight to Larry's side of the bed and crawled in.

Joseph and Jeremiah were still sleeping. I love waking up my babies. There is nothing more precious than rubbing those skinny backs and watching those eyebrows furrow. I love those first big, deep breaths and those first long stretches. I just love those boys with all that I have and all that I am.

I sang "This is the day, this is the day, that the LORD has made, that the LORD has made...." It bugs the fire out of them. But, they have Psalm 118:24 memorized. They will never forget it.

I'm so glad we all woke up this morning. It's a tiny, little detail. Minutia, really. But, had that one trivial bit of the day been different, there would be all manner of chaos in our home. I shudder to think of it.

God chose to wake me up today. He chose to give us this day of life. Not only that, but He did it on purpose. He did it so that we could learn something, so that we could do something. Not so that we could just go to work, do the laundry or complete assignments at school. He wants us to grow closer to Him and to bring others closer to Him. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.

I am sure that He loves to wake us up. I imagine that He loves those first big, deep breaths and those first long stretches. He loves us with all that He is, with all the I Am.