“Thank God for the hill, the sky, the morning sun, the manna on the ground which every morning renews our lives.” Thomas Merton
For six straight summers, I was the luckiest girl in the world. I got to attend Sugar Creek Camp, which was indeed the best camp ever. For a week in August, I got to hike at Turkey Run State Park, swim, ride horses, canoe, and leave my bed in the middle of the night to watch meteor showers. The counselors were amazing and the smart ones eventually became co-conspirators with me and my fellow prankster extraordinaire, Sarah. How many camp counselors actually help you pull pranks on other cabins and counselors? I suppose that was the better option than finding themselves taped to their bed (Mandy Baldwin, if you are reading this, I extend my heartfelt apology.)
For all the sheer glee Sugar Creek Camp brought to my life, my favorite part was the morning. We had the option of tying a sock to our bed and being awoken at 5:30 in the morning to go fishing. I am not a fisherwoman – I like casting out the line, but please do not ask me to touch the bait or any caught fish. Those early mornings were not about the fishing, but rather getting to experience the dawn. I loved the fog sitting on the pond, the dew on the grass, and the smell of a new day. While others were begging for an extra hour of sleep, I could not stay away from watching the sun kiss the earth. Nothing much has changed over the past twenty-some years – I am still one to rise early and spend time alone in the dawn.
It is the morning that sets the stage for the day to come. Do we dread the day ahead of us? Do we wake up clinging to the struggles and worries from yesterday? Or are we excited about a new start, and a fresh beginning? Do we sit in anticipation knowing each day brings new wonders to enjoy? Do we start the day with confidence knowing that come what may, we will figure our way through it?
Typically, when we start a new adventure we are bursting with excitement. We have enthusiasm and profound momentum. Eventually, the dawn transitions into daylight and the mundane tasks of the day occupy much of our time. It is easy to lose our anticipation and our excitement in the ordinary moments. I named this blog, “Searching for Sacred” to be that constant reminder to keep my eyes searching for the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life. Whether it is cooking dinner, pulling weeds out of the garden, or helping my child tie his shoe, Sacred encounters are found if I keep my eyes open. The challenge is maintaining that same excitement when I am stuck in routine or ready for a nap.
When we finally decide to embark on a new journey, whether that be towards a greater depth of restoration and healing in our soul or taking steps toward actualizing a dream, there is a level of excitement. “Yes, I am going to do this!” And then the day sets in. As the reality forms and we actually begin, we are often met with our doubts and self-criticism. “What in the world was I thinking?” Let us remember the hope we met in the dawn.
I debated how to spell this title (morning vs. mourning). A lot could be said about either, but I decided to focus more on rejuvenation in this entry. The next will be on “Night” which I will focus more on those dark nights of the soul.
For six straight summers, I was the luckiest girl in the world. I got to attend Sugar Creek Camp, which was indeed the best camp ever. For a week in August, I got to hike at Turkey Run State Park, swim, ride horses, canoe, and leave my bed in the middle of the night to watch meteor showers. The counselors were amazing and the smart ones eventually became co-conspirators with me and my fellow prankster extraordinaire, Sarah. How many camp counselors actually help you pull pranks on other cabins and counselors? I suppose that was the better option than finding themselves taped to their bed (Mandy Baldwin, if you are reading this, I extend my heartfelt apology.)
For all the sheer glee Sugar Creek Camp brought to my life, my favorite part was the morning. We had the option of tying a sock to our bed and being awoken at 5:30 in the morning to go fishing. I am not a fisherwoman – I like casting out the line, but please do not ask me to touch the bait or any caught fish. Those early mornings were not about the fishing, but rather getting to experience the dawn. I loved the fog sitting on the pond, the dew on the grass, and the smell of a new day. While others were begging for an extra hour of sleep, I could not stay away from watching the sun kiss the earth. Nothing much has changed over the past twenty-some years – I am still one to rise early and spend time alone in the dawn.
It is the morning that sets the stage for the day to come. Do we dread the day ahead of us? Do we wake up clinging to the struggles and worries from yesterday? Or are we excited about a new start, and a fresh beginning? Do we sit in anticipation knowing each day brings new wonders to enjoy? Do we start the day with confidence knowing that come what may, we will figure our way through it?
Typically, when we start a new adventure we are bursting with excitement. We have enthusiasm and profound momentum. Eventually, the dawn transitions into daylight and the mundane tasks of the day occupy much of our time. It is easy to lose our anticipation and our excitement in the ordinary moments. I named this blog, “Searching for Sacred” to be that constant reminder to keep my eyes searching for the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life. Whether it is cooking dinner, pulling weeds out of the garden, or helping my child tie his shoe, Sacred encounters are found if I keep my eyes open. The challenge is maintaining that same excitement when I am stuck in routine or ready for a nap.
When we finally decide to embark on a new journey, whether that be towards a greater depth of restoration and healing in our soul or taking steps toward actualizing a dream, there is a level of excitement. “Yes, I am going to do this!” And then the day sets in. As the reality forms and we actually begin, we are often met with our doubts and self-criticism. “What in the world was I thinking?” Let us remember the hope we met in the dawn.
I debated how to spell this title (morning vs. mourning). A lot could be said about either, but I decided to focus more on rejuvenation in this entry. The next will be on “Night” which I will focus more on those dark nights of the soul.
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