Morning reflections

I love the early morning.

I guess I've always been a morning person. History states that as a small child I liked to "rise and shine" too early, no doubt at times to my parents' chagrin. Philip hasn't always appreciated my early morning chatter. And I don't recall my girls being too thrilled when I peered though their subconsciousness and roused them sooner than they wished.

There's a song in Spanish that I learned as a child when my parents were attending language school in South Texas 40 years ago. (No comments necessary about that last part...) You've probably heard it even in recent days or months sung by missionaries visiting your church. I have heard the words in English, but don't know them all....so apparently this is for my fellow missionaries today!

Por la mañana yo dirijo mi alabanza
A Dios, que ha sido--y es--mi UNICA esperanza
Por la mañana yo le invoco con el alma,
y le suplico que me dé Su dulce calma.
El nos escucha, (pues nos ama tanto)
y nos alivia de cualquier quebranto.
Nos da Su mano, poderosa y fuerte,
para librarnos de la misma muerte.

Cuando la noche se aproxima, tenebrosa
En elevarle mi oración, mi alma se goza.
Siento Su paz--inagotable, dulce y grata--
Porque temores y ansiedad, ¡Cristo los mata!
También elevo mi cantar al cielo
Cuando a la tierra baja negro velo.
El sol se oculta---¡pero queda Cristo!--
A Quien mis ojos en el sueño han visto.....


This morning my lips and heart move through the many verses of the song, savoring the inspiration and richness of the word picture the songwriter expressed with his pen. I'm awed by the way he expresses his adoration to the Father, encouraged by His faithfulness, and strengthened to meet the challenges of the day. There's no way I could express it any better.

Suffice it to say that today, this very day, God is just exactly what I need.