"The best part of wakin' up is..."

Did you find yourself finishing the jingle? There's not a whole lot I find good besides a cup of coffee when I have to get up in the morning. In fact, the days I'm most likely to get out of bed with a smile are those days I got the coffee ready the night before and didn't have to wake up to an annoying alarm!
However, there are so many good things in my life that make waking up worth it! At the top of the list, of course, are any items pertaining to my niece, Maggie, or my nephews, Luke, Henry and Chicago. Just thinking about them makes me squeal with delight...out loud!! Waking up to them is even better! When I was home for Easter, I found myself waking up to their precious little faces breathing heavily in mine. Forget that they hadn't brushed their teeth yet, and neither had I...I loved it!
I think this might be the joy God wants us to know when His Word says in Lamentations 3:21-26:

²¹ Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope:
²² [Because of] the LORD's faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end.
²³ They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!
²⁴ I say: The LORD is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.
²⁵ The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,to the person who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the LORD.

I forgot to mention that the events that drew us home at the same time were not pleasant. We gathered for the funeral of my aunt who had been murdered. God knew that I would need the faces of my nieces and nephews to wake up to in the  mornings (not to mention my mother's coffee)!  In the midst of confusion and sorrow, He gave hope. His mercies came to me in the faces of my favorite little people on Earth!

If it's been hard to find the best part of waking up lately, may I encourage you with something better than coffee...God's mercies! They are new every morning! Drink 'em up!

~Rebecca Phillips