Much to my physical demise I wake up most days wanting something sweet to start my day. My dad and I shared a piece of cake for breakfast more than occasionally. Sneaking one of Mom’s homemade chocolate chip cookies to eat on the way to the bus was a challenging feat with a very satisfying result. The thought, “She Wakes up Wanting Something Sweet” sounds like a good title for a children’s book. What do we wake up wanting? Sadly I hear more about what people wake up dreading- the test- their workload- housework- taking care of piled up business- a doctor visit- or (as pathetic as it may seem to you) I dread putting on my $100 tennis shoes and walking the mall route with the senior citizens! I dread the walking so much I can’t tell you the last time I did it. Starting our day with dread is directly related to our productivity. Unless we can get past the dread it will drain us emotionally and physically and greatly affect the ability to get anything done! We will spend time talking to others to justify our dread. Taking more time doing a job than needed is a way of rebelling against the one(s) who assigned it or made it necessary.

I know the stories of great men and women of God that started their day with hours of prayer. When I argued about having young children I was told the story of the mom of a great man of God who would sit in her kitchen with her apron over her head and pray. It was her “God” time and kids knew it and respected it. I’ve tried a dozen creative things over the years- even bought a second coffee pot that just made 2 cups and put it right by my bed so I didn’t even have to get up- just sip the coffee and do some reading and praying first. Though most of us are not successful with these good intentions for the “long haul” there is something very definitely true about how the start of our day affects the result of our day. Another secret I learned long before computers was that a restart button can have a wonderful affect! When the ____ computer won’t work right most often just pressing the reset button causes it to run much smoother. It takes a few minutes. We have to wait and put aside the task at hand during the process, but after we are more productive. As a manager if I found an employee unable to treat the children properly I would send them on a break to calm down and refocus. We can all stop a moment and we do- smokers smoke- friends email- shoppers go online for specials- movie buffs check what’s coming out- cell phone people text their friends- there is no one out there who can say they never take a break for personal time on the job. We all do exactly what we want to anytime we can take an opportunity to do so. So what do I want? Is the way I take my breaks leading me into those desires or am I trapping myself into an orbit that will eventually send my planet out of gas or out of control? Not walking will affect my health. Having all relationships through electronic devices means I am cut off when the inevitable break down comes.

My pastor has a favorite saying I have heard over and over and so have you- if you keep doing what you have always been doing you will keep getting the same result. I really want to return to a closer walk with the Lord. I want to watch my grandchildren grow and marry and have kids of their own. I want to be a part of this world that does something when the natural disasters of this world destroy a country as in Haiti this week. Those are good thoughts to wake up to and they are the thoughts that will motivate me to not just feed the sweet desires of my heart, but to do some work to make them real. The tennis shoes are looking better…………………..