Sunrise Surprise

This morning when the alarm went off, it was a little harder to get out of bed.  I hadn't made plans with my girls, so I had no one to which I'd be accountable.  No one but myself and how I'd feel later in the day when the rain came and I had not run.  I knew I'd be mad at myself so up I got.  Eventually.

It was a little later than usual but still dark in the house.  I was not looking forward to a solo run in the dark, but figured I'd stay in my neighborhood until it got light enough for me to feel comfortable venturing out. I changed into my running digs, strapped on my watch, and kissed my sleeping husband good-bye before leaving.  The morning was chilly, but not cool enough to warrant more than a short sleeved top and shorts.

I walked lazily to the end of my driveway as I usually do, started my watch and turned right.  And there it was.  The purple and dull pink of a sunrise.  A brand new, just beginning sunrise.  With the morning darkness as the only thing coming in my bedroom windows, I had assumed it was still completely dark outside.  This newly awakened sunrise was a beautiful surprise.

I turned my ipod to my current warm-up song, "Hold Me Together" by Royal Tailor, and ran facing east with the words of this song playing sweet and low in my ears.  It was yet another of those magical morning moments and I soaked it in.

I faced east for quite a while so that I was constantly running into the ever changing and brightening sky.  It was brilliant to watch.  It unfolded and unfurled until it eventually exploded into an amazing neon orange across the sky.  It was as if God had taken his pack of oils dipped his thumb into the neon carrot shade and smeared it across the sky.  With love.  For me. (If you know your Crayola crayons, you know what color that is.)

As I turned north, I glance several times to my right, afraid to miss one second of this light show.  Even looking straight ahead, however, it was hard to miss as the bright orange spread across the entire sky like a spilled bucket of paint, smudging into hues of pink and red at the edges.  With a backdrop of a light blue morning sky, this view was breathtaking.

Due to my late start, I had to hurry home and start the mad rush that was getting ready for work.  It was worth it, though.  My sunrise surprise had made my day and I had visions of it throughout with the words of my warm-up song still singing gently in my ears.

I'm feeling stronger with You by my side

I realize You are my Home...