Wonderfully Complex!

I have been married to an early riser for thirty-one years.  I thought at first it was just a phase that she would grow out of, or at worst, a bad habit that I could help her change.  I gave up on that theory thirty years ago!  At 4:45 every morning, the alarm sounds, Cindy jumps out of bed, and with our miniature schnauzer Max following her every step, she greets the day with enthusiasm and great expectation.  I made a mistake a few years ago of buying her a glow-in-the-dark alarm clock with enlarged numbers just so she could be reminded of how early she was waking me up each morning.  The problem with this alarm clock, however, is that it not only has an enlarged clock face, but also an enhanced bell that rings loud enough to stir the blissful dreaming of residents within a half mile of our house.  She usually is pretty good about turning the ringer off fairly quickly, but most mornings, the damage has already been done. 

 

Now, understand, I am not a late sleeper, usually rising before 7 a.m. each morning.  Those extra two+ hours of sleep, however, when missed, do make a difference in my approach to the day. Some mornings I roll over and drift back into slumber, but that is not always the case.  I could get up and join Cindy and her walking buddy for their pre-dawn tour of our neighborhood, but I would only be in the way.  They walk and talk at such a fast pace I would quickly fall by the wayside.  I have an ally in Clayton who occasionally questions his mother's morning routine, wondering why anyone would voluntarily choose to get up so early, but he too has learned to accept these strange happenings as just another of his parent's traits not to be emulated.

 

In the end, we all acknowledge that these unique qualities on display within our family mark us as individuals whose choices are our own.  I suppose that is something to be grateful for, although, I must admit, that's not on my mind when the bell tolls at 4:45 a.m.

 

Psalm 139:14 says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  The New Living Translation says, "Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!"    The uniqueness of all of God's creation is on display before us every day.  That is a gift to be treasured...a gift to be made room for...a gift to acknowledge and celebrate.

 

Some of you may have to set your alarms a bit earlier this Sunday as we begin our August Sundays at Westwood.  Worship begins at 9, followed immediately by fellowship time for everyone in Whitten Hall, then Bible study there for adults in one joint class beginning at 10:15, while children and youth attend their regular classes. This change allows some of our teachers a break, an opportunity for greater fellowship, and a bit different format for worship each week.  We will conclude around 11:15 each week so you can head out for further adventures with your family and friends.  Dress comfortably and invite a friend or neighbor to join you.

 

Yes, Lord, thank you for making me (and everyone) so wonderfully complex!

 

Jim Abernathy