Early Riser

All of my life I have been an early riser, out of circumstance versus desire. I actually hate getting out of bed in the morning. Growing up as a kid, school always started at 8:30 a.m., and moma didn't play that being late for school. If she had to get up to go to work, everybody had to get up to go to school. After the fourth grade I had to take the bus to school, public transportation, two buses using a transfer. So I had to get up even earlier. Weekend ends weren't much better with chores assigned on Saturday mornings and Sunday School on Sundays.

After my school age years there was my time in the military. As you can imagine this was even more regimented with morning hours meant for activities and leisurely sleep-ins heavly frowned upon. After basic training things loosened up, but by then the habits were set.

Then comes my working life, which has resulted in getting up for the daily shift five days a week for as long as I can remember. This early riser thing has been enbedded into my being. Even choosing the 8:00 a.m. morning service for church. I am a creature of habit, rising in the morning to sit on the edge of the bed, take a shower, brush my teeth and shave, dress, get a cup of coffee, read the  paper, and head off to work or to complete the tasks that have been circulating in my head overnight for the day.

I say all this to get to the fact that since I have had a hip replacement, I have not been able to get around much for several weeks. I have also been off work. So, I have been able to "sleep in". Getting up and out of bed at 9:00-9:30 a.m. What a treat! However, this all came tumbling down this weekend when I needed my spiritual replenishment. I needed to go to church! As  the younger generation would say "OMG". Getting up at again at 6:30 a.m. was a battle of wills between good and evil. One voice was saying "Stay, you don't need to leave this warm bed, it can wait", while the other was saying " You can do it, you need to do it, move your body and get up." Good prevailed and I did make it to church. It was amazing that as soon as I got there and the choir began singing, how much better I felt, with no pain at all.

Anyway, I'm back on the early riser track again, with things to do, and a purpose for the mornings.