Sunrise, Moonset, and Prayer Runs

I am not a morning person.  Just ask my husband, the obnoxiously happy morning person who bounces around my house each morning.  However, as I have gotten older, I have learned the value of rising early for a variety of reasons.  I have recently realized that never once have I regretted the decision to rise early and run, but I have often regretted the impulse to push the sleep button and get 15 more minutes.

This morning, my man had leave town by 6:30 for work, so we rose at 5 and headed to Starbucks where I fixed his favorite breakfast of oatmeal and Chai tea.  Yes, I'm a good wife like that.   Got to take care of my man.  We finished by 6:15, he headed to work, and I headed back home.  That's when I got my reward.  As I headed east on the Evelyn Gandy Parkway, the sky became the color of sherbert, strawberry pink near the horizon, a strip of creamy vanilla, then a vast expanse of blueberry rose above it.  Set right in the center of the blueberry was last night's moon.  Just a sliver at the bottom was illuminated, but enough light from the sun lit the outline, so you could see the entire moon.  But, God wasn't through yet.  Low hanging clouds began moving toward me and suddenly I was at the center of an IMAX movie.  It was absolutely breathtaking and I laughed out loud.  Then, I thanked Him for the show.  Ever the diligent photographer, I dug around for my camera and tripod, and realized that, of course, it was in the studio, not my car.  No matter.  I have the picture burned on my mind.

Sometimes, God allows us these glimpses of Heaven.  I have been privileged to witness many such moments.  Some were huge (the humpback whale that surfaced 5 feet from me in Kona last year, then slowly drifted away before diving out of sight), some were life changing (watching my husband walk our oldest daughter down the aisle to marry the love of her life), and some have been very simple, like this morning's sunrise/moonset.  They have all impacted me, though, and made me very aware of the blessings of my life.  I am so humbly grateful.

As I count down the days until the NYC marathon (12), and make my final preparations, I thought I would share one of them with you.  I often pray when I run, in fact, it's not often that I don't pray when I run.  One of the greatest joys of my life has been becoming a prayer warrior for my family and friends.  I often get messages or calls from people asking me for prayer in a specific area of their lives because they know that when I say I am going to pray for them, I do.  I have decided to carry a prayer list with me at the marathon, and pray over family and friends at each mile.  That way, it will feel like they are right there with me, sharing the joy and effort of the moment.  If you have a specific prayer request, or would just like me to lift you up as I run on November 6, please let me know.  You may have a certain mile that you would like me to pray (the only mile I have completely reserved already is Mile 22), so claim that mile and tell me what you would like me to pray for.  I would love to have as many different people running with me that day as possible, so don't be shy.  You can put your request in the comments section here, on Facebook, Daily Mile, or send me a private message via Facebook, Daily Mile, text, or e-mail.  I'll be making the list over the next week.

I thought the following verse was appropriate this morning.

From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.  Psalm 50:2