This morning, as I lay in bed, I didn't have any alarms set or big plans for the day ahead, yet I still wanted to roll over and go back to sleep. What purpose was there to get out of bed anyway? I didn't have anyone depending on me this morning, no work to attend to or rides to be given. I struggled to find the motivation to get myself up and out of bed. My will to face the day was weak at best.
Suddenly the words from Anne of Green Gables came to mind, "I'm so glad it's a sunshiny morning. But I like rainy mornings real well, too. All sorts of mornings are interesting, don't you think? You don't know what's going to happen through the day, and there's so much scope for imagination."
Granted, this morning was not sunshiny. It was still six AM when I awoke and the sky was filled with lightly falling snow. Yet, that quote came to the forefront of my mind because Anne was right. All sorts of mornings truly are interesting.
Whether my day is filled with big and important tasks or just the simple act of making breakfast and taking Pippy for a walk, the day ahead can be interesting and exciting. The day's worth and importance isn't dependent on how thrilling my life appears on paper. My day is important and worth waking up for because it is the day the Lord has made. I am to rejoice and be glad in it no matter what it holds for the hours ahead.
Anne never points to God as her purpose for enjoying each day, but I think she understood that each day is a gift that we can choose to either embrace or waste.
When Anne spoke those profound words it happened to be on a morning when she had anything but a good reason to get out of bed in the first place. As far as she knew, she was about to be carted back to an orphanage in Nova Scotia, far away from the beautiful rolling hills and streams of Green Gables. If I were Anne I'm not sure I would have willingly left the confines of my bed, let alone my room! I would probably have held onto the posts of my bed with all my might, crying and begging not to be taken away!
But Anne did no such thing. She arose and took in the beauty that lay outside her windowpane. She got dressed and ate her breakfast. She didn't have anything the world would classify as "meaningful" on her agenda, and she didn't have a great excitement in her day to look forward to. Still, she faced the day with an imagination wide open and heart ready to embrace whatever beauty she might encounter up ahead.
The Lord has made each of our days, whether or not we see beauty in them when our eyes pop open at six in the morning, before the sun has pierced the clouds and the birds have begun to sing their song. On days when the ground is covered in snow or pelted with rain or smiled upon with sun, they are all the Lord's. They are days created for rejoicing and praising His Holy name. In our days He has for us wonders and brilliance that our minds can't yet foresee. When we approach the day with a sense of anticipation and imagination we are free to see the marvelous hand of God at work in the mundane and ordinary.
This morning I had the chance to see the world through the eyes of Anne of Green Gables. After I rose from my bed I made my way down the stairs to the front door to let Pippy outside, as is our morning routine. Upon opening the door I was immediately struck by the brilliance of the falling snow. The world outside my door was sparkling. The snow had coated the whole yard, trees and neighboring houses in a blanket of glitter. The sight was spectacular. It was as if I had been transported out of Erie, Pennsylvania and into a dreamy winter wonderland. The dazzling view didn't even feel real.
If I would have stayed in bed I would have missed the wonder of God's creation on display right outside my door. I wouldn't have seen the glitter or the sparkle. I would have still been in my bed, grumbling about the uselessness of the day ahead, instead of being swept away into a wonderland of wintry delight.
Thank you, Anne of Green Gables, for reminding me that every day is worth waking up for. Every day is worth exploring with wonder and anticipation. Because every day is made by the Lord and for His glory. He has made every morning special, ever afternoon exciting and every evening glorious. Each day is the work of His hand, specially created for His beloved. That alone is enough reason to be thrilled at the opportunity to get out of bed in the morning.
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