Proverbs 11:7
Light is sweet; 
how pleasant to see a new day dawning. (NLT)

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Ollie the Border Collie and I are not able to enjoy our morning prayer walk today. This is one of our favorite things. One of our other favorite things, a favorite person, needs a ride to school. So, we will defer our walk today to give aid to parents with more responsibilities than they can handle alone this morning. 

O. C. Doggie and I started our walk extra early one day last week. It was still dark, but there was a waning moon and lots of stars providing lovely illumination along with street lights and the glow of the homes of early risers. The trail itself was so dark that it was hard to tell the difference between tree limbs and snakes. I depended on Ollie’s expertise and my own ability to jump as high and as far as necessary.

This is not as easy as it used to be.

My Apple News feed is full of health and wellness articles. Several health-related periodicals post regular stories about effective morning routines. You know the drill: drink a glass of water before you have your coffee; eat a healthy breakfast; don’t look at your phone first thing; go outside and get some sunlight. 

As noted above, some of us get up while it’s still dark outside. One of my favorite Bill Withers songs says, 

When I wake up in the morning, love
And the sunlight hurts my eyes
(Lovely Day)

That second line always makes me stop and remember how some people sleep late enough for the sun to have risen before they arise. Crazy. I have to re-engage with the song where he sings

Then I look at you
And the world’s alright with me

Morning light, Ecclesiastes says, is sweet. “How pleasant to see a new day dawning.” The Message paraphrases this last bit this way:

And how wonderful to live in the sunshine!

I love summertime. Early mornings and late evenings full of sunlight make me happy. I closed the blinds earlier than normal last night as the sun sank below the horizon earlier than normal. Darkness arrives earlier and earlier. I can’t help but sigh. 

Morning shadows are coming soon. The sun will announce its arrival with rays turning midnight blue into a dozen shades of my favorite color as the morning version of the Golden Hour is sung into being by songbirds atop their unique notes of praise.

Soon, the dogs will enjoy their breakfasts, and so will I. Millie Black Dog stands at the gate even now, reminding me that I normally finish writing about this time and that her belly is quite empty. 

Soon, we will make the seven-minute drive to gather our granddaughter and guide our coach toward her school where we will receive the star treatment by the paparazzi on this first day of school. A hug and a kiss and a promise to See You Later will begin this day with beauty, wonder, and love. 

It’s going to be a Lovely Day. 

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I will enjoy this Lovely Day.

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Our Father, thank you for rhythms and routines. Thank you for blessed interruptions. Thank you for morning sun and grandchildren. Thank you for birdsong and beauty. Thank you for lovely days. Amen.