Joy Comes In The Morning

I’ll wake -up  early to catch a plane. I’ll stay up late to see the big game. In my younger days I would party till dawn but this morning my desire was to rise before the sun to enjoy Easter sunrise service. To start my day with music, melody and celebration! To praise what is truly important. This sunrise service was held in Kuwait City at the Lighthouse Church.

The entire church grounds were filled with jazz and old school Christian music. Skits and beautiful voices floated over Kuwait City as Easter morning was upon us. With love, humor and a sense of purpose this service brought together two languages and two cultures. With grace music was sang in both Arabic and English. Lyrics of hymns were printed on screens in both Arabic and English. Messages of Easter celebration came from people of all cultures. It brought peace into my heart. Here in this church in Kuwait two cultures found a way to pray as one. Language that sometimes can separate people was used to unite!

As I rose to sing I couldn’t help but remember all the people around me who lift me up.  The people I am blessed to have the chance to celebrate. This weekend I was at a dinner party.  There was both gorgeous people and gorgeous food. It was humbling to enjoy such a night, being put upon a pedestal, allowed to be surrounded by someone else’s passion and experiences for an evening.  Some people don’t know how to stand on a pedestals. they spend all their time and energy giving to others that they forget that they too should humble enjoy the chance to shine. Others take for granted when they are being lifted up and others don’t have the self awareness to realize when someone is shining light upon them. Some people can fall from pedestals but it is wonderful that with time, love and support they too can rise again! The perfect balance is when two people can put each other on pedestals, nobody falls and you can simple look into each other’s eyes. That isn’t easy, it takes time, trust and a pure commitment.

Commitment to excellence takes practice, discipline, training and self-care. It is why I write on days I don’t always feel like writing. I need the practice. This morning being committed to early morning worship also meant that I was going to commit to a mid-morning nap! Before we returned home we tried to stop for breakfast at the Early Bird. Closed on Sundays, perhaps to rest and maintain that Early Bird standard of goodness, we went to a place around the corner. I think it was called All Morning, All Evening. It wasn’t All That Good. They hadn’t committed to figuring out the basics of what makes a restaurant run. A small place filled with a horrible bleach smell we moved our table outside to enjoy sunshine and get some fresh air. The service was very smiley but not very fast. Coffee wasn’t possible until the person who knew how to make coffee got there but we did have positive all be it slightly sleepy conversation! We did wonder why does the Early Bird not take their day off in the middle of the week so that long weekends can still be celebrated with great breakfast?

Spring break has just started. It is nice that it is off to such a wonderful and interesting beginning! Tomorrow I am waking up to a morning writing session with the “Women of Words!” Did I mention I love vacation!