A Standstill in Time

It's always a wonderful feeling. Knowing that every morning, God's mercy and grace are renewed, and you wake up to a fresh start of the day.

To tell you the truth, I'm not really a morning person, but I am a huge coffee fanatic. One of the reasons I get up in the morning is my longing for that wonderfully warm cup of joe. It's funny how when I was younger, I wanted my coffee to be very sweet and milky, but as I grew older, I longed for the stronger kind. More coffee, less sugar and cream. The kind that has that kick to wake me up in the morning. My coffee is usually paired with wheat bread and cream cheese. I could have that coffee-bread-cheese combo every morning and won't tire of it. It's my daily breakfast, simple as it seems, but I am truly thankful for it.

During breakfast, I would read a chapter or two from the bible. Because of course, I can't live on bread alone. And the words gave me the much needed boost to start my day. I am thankful for every morning when I have time to read and reflect. To have that quiet time alone with my thoughts. Because I often could not put my thoughts in order--tasks I have to accomplish, errands here and there, bills I have to settle, looming deadlines, endless lists of things I want to have, places I want to explore, dreams I want to pursue--all get mixed up inside my head. So it's nice to have calm mornings like this when I can put all my worries on pause. I could not tell you just how much of a gift it is now, nor how many times I've felt like my life has been saved by the bible.

There have been times in my life when I've had so many questions, disappointments, self-doubts, and struggles within. There were many times when I tried looking for answers to my questions or solutions to my problems, and failed, then I'd get frustrated at the end of the day. Until I gave up trying and found myself reading the bible, for lack of other books to read. I'd started with the New Testament, and now I am reading the book of Numbers in the Old Testament. It's really amazing how the answers I was once searching for can be found in the gospel.

Of course, there are still many things I don't understand and still many unanswered questions. And maybe that's okay. In my quiet moments, I've found that God always finds a way to make me feel loved and cared for and that I need not worry nor doubt. These are ways I can't easily explain, but come in the simplest forms. Random acts of kindness, children's laughter, vibrant sunsets, starry evenings, songs of freedom, dancing to my heart's content, lambing from Spots (our cat), bonds of friendship, moments with family.

I guess I am in that point in my life wherein I start to value the little things that make life great. More than the things that money can buy. I am still learning, of course, it takes time and a good deal of effort. Every day I try to thank God for the overflow of love and grace and wisdom. For making me see the meaning and purpose of the people and things in my life, to know whether someone or something is worth keeping or worth letting go. These are among the beautiful truths that are revealed to me, beautiful awakenings in these quiet thoughts, in these peaceful mornings when time is at a standstill.

And as the sun rises to its full glory, giving light and color and warmth to everything it touches, I take sip from my cup, and know that something wonderful is bound to happen today.

Good morning!

Time stands still, beauty in all she is
Every breath, every hour has come to this

Sunrise over the coast of Calatagan photo by Daniel De Leon