Layers

a blue-hued sunrise

On frosty mornings

even the sky is prepared 

 and layered for warmth

How do you prepare for your day?  First, I get up and get a cup of coffee.  Then, I sit in silence and spend a few moments praying and getting my mind set for the day. Well, this is my goal most days. Something I recently started doing is putting my Bible right beside my couch so that I can read it first thing in the morning.  And then I take the dog out.  Usually, this means that I slip on flip flops- no matter what the temperature is, and sometimes I don’t even put on a coat.

This particular morning was different. I took the time to find gloves, and I put on socks (a big deal for a bare-foot girl)…and I even put on a hat and coat- a rare thing for me!  My dog, Remy, was running circles and smiling at me the entire time I was preparing myself to take him out.

Our boy Remy

As I stepped outside, I immediately took notice of the sky- layered with blue and white stripes as far as I could see.  And on this unusually cold morning, I even noticed a lone bird singing his morning song.

It’s funny how every other cold morning I am rushing to get back into the house where it’s warm. Sometimes I could just kick myself for not being better prepared for things. I admit that I am usually in a rush, and don’t bother to put on the appropriate outer wear before I go walking outside.

But everything we do has a purpose. I thought about how often I go through the motions without intentionally thinking about what I’m doing and why I am doing it.  Everything we do has layers… layers of thought, layers of meaning, layers of purpose.

It was amazing how just a few extra minutes of layering helped me enjoy my walk again. The purpose of my walk?  First and foremost, it’s to complete a task- to let my furry friend to do his “business”. But the more important purpose?  Spending quality time with God.

And honestly, when I don’t take the extra few minutes to prepare for my walk, the only one I am cheating is myself. That extra layer of “worship” is thrown right out the window when I am doing everything I can to get back in my house as quickly as possible!

A little preparation goes a long way towards enjoying the journey…and my “walk” with Him!

be prepared in season and out of season- 2 Timothy 4:2

Advertisement