The clock glared 3:30, I'd already woken once and mind began thinking through the days activities. I laid there for an hour fighting myself, trying to join the rest of the city in peaceful rest. Finally at 4:30, I surrendered. I crawled out of bed, put on my running clothes, borrowing a reflector vest, headlamp, ipod and headed into the dark hours just before morning. I ended up jogging to my church parking lot and lunging across the empty parking spaces, trying to get my legs ready for a summer of climbing mountains. I stopped to put my feet up on the curb for crunches. Minutes later I lay on my back, sweat dripping, arms and legs spread wide ready to make a concrete snow angel. I looked up into the sky, it was cloudless. Starlight landed on my face and each constellation stood boldly against blanket of black. I lay there absorbed in the beauty and peace of the moment. As music softly sang in each ear, I worshiped, arms spread wide with heart and soul surrendered.
As I ran home, joy bubbled from the depths. After a quick shower, I headed to Rembrandt Coffee Shop to meet three good friends and our lovely leader for 7am bible study. As the girls sipped their coffee and rubbed sleep from their eyes, I smiled to myself thinking about my already-full morning, feeling lucky to have already had an encounter with our Lord.
