Sometimes I Wake Up Grumpy….

Are you a morning person?  When the sun lights up your bedroom do you stretch and declare it a glorious day?  Perhaps not and grumble while burrowing under your pillow.  Some people need just 5 more minutes, which often turn into 45 minutes and they are still cranky.

My husband and I are totally different morning people.  The old joke “Sometimes I wake up grumpy and other times I let him sleep” was written for us.  He loves his sleep and can get a bit irritable if it is interrupted.  After decades of awakening at 6:00 a.m. to go to work, he delights in sleeping “until he’s finished” as he puts it.  Being in the Army has something to do with it, too.

Me?  When the light shines and a wet nosed fur-baby greets me, I am ready to pray and get up.  Thanking God for the new day and safety of the night, I begin my morning prayer before my feet hit the floor.  The older I get the less sleep I seem to need.  Are you at this age yet?

What is your relationship with mornings?  Are you thrilled with the endless possibilities of the new day?  Scripture tells us in Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” No time like the present.  Get out of that bed and enjoy this gift from Abba.

The trajectory or path your day will take depends a lot on how you wake up or get up.  Have you ever encountered someone so crabby you asked if he “got up on the wrong side of the bed today?”  Your and my day begins when we first open our eyes, stretch our arms or legs, and (hopefully) pray.  Then when we hop out (do you hop out or like I do gingerly get out) of bed, we are ready to tackle the day with strength from our Father.

Just because the day started grumpy, doesn’t mean it needs to stay there.  You are able to shake off that bad mood that began earlier.  You have the power.  Use it.  Trade in the frowns for smiles.

I hope you start your days happy and give smiles away generously.  If a cantankerous one slides in, exchange it for a happier one.  There will always be time for napping later.   Use today to bring glory to God.