I've actually been enjoying the Colorado sunrises this week...they are beautiful!

Yes, believe it or not, I'm finally starting to get on top of my schedule...getting morning exercise (which I need) and prayer time (which I can't do without) into my schedule! I haven't exercised much in awhile, so this week for the first time I started getting up at 4:45am so I could go jogging a couple miles before my friends and I meet for prayer! It's a bit early....but I've been making it. And you can know that by the time 8:30pm comes at night, I am ready for bed.... Smiles! (Mom, aren't you proud of me?!)

While I've always been an early to rise person (my whole family is), I've struggled with going to bed early a lot these last few years, especially when I take so many projects under my belt. I have more and more found myself burning the candle at both ends. So it's good that my sleeping habits are getting changed for the better. (Of course, it might help that I don't have Internet access at night right now, so wont stay awake answering ARME e-mails, writing my blog, or reading!)

I guess I am not the only one being affected in a positive way. It was kinda funny because my friends and I went to a nursing home last night to get acquainted with all the sweet elderly people, where we will be doing some outreach. We spent some general time just visiting with them and then sang songs to them. (Reminds me of highschool days!)

Anyway, at the end when we were saying goodbye...it was about 8:00pm, and one of the young gals in our group asked an older lady there... "Are you tired? Are you ready for bed yet?" "Oh no!" the lady replied. "I can stay up a lot longer! How about you?" There was a pause. "Well, um....I'm tired....I'm ready for bed!" the girl replied. We all laughed as we realized the irony of it. Here we young ones, that should be staying up partying at night, or at least on the Internet, are now getting use to getting up at such early hours to spend time with God, that when the sun begins to set...the party is over. We are ready for bed! Kinda a turn-around from modern culture...and yet isn't this the way it should be?

When it comes to developing consistent habits of getting up early to spend time with God (which means, going to bed early so you're not too exhausted to get up early and spend time with God), I heard about something very applicable that happened with John Wesley during his life of service to God.

One evening John Wesley had been invited by a very important dignitary to spend time with him. This was an honor that few received. However, before the evening was over, John Wesley got up and began to excuse himself saying that he needed to leave. The dignitary was almost offended. "Why are you leaving when the night is still young. Don't you realize that I am a very important man and many people beg to spend time with me at my table?" John Wesley's simple reply was this... "I don't mean to offend you Sir, and feel very honored for this time together. But I have an appointment with the King of the Universe now, and I dare not be tired and I dare not be late."

Wow!! Isn't that powerful? He's showing, as it should be for all of us, that making sure we have that personal devotional time with God is MORE important than spending time with a worldly dignitary! I've thought about this for a long time actually....even thought about writing a blog post or article called, "The morning after the night before." It's theme of course, would have been revolving around learning to plan ahead...even the night before, so you are rested and ready to meet your appointment with God in the morning! I don't think I need to write the article though...as this illustration proves the point perfectly!

So here's to going to bed early......so you don't wake up late! :-)