I HAVE FRIENDS who, first thing out of bed in the morning, say a prayer.
It goes something like this:
God, use me today.
I drove one of those friends to the airport yesterday morning.
I had to roll out of bed at 4:45 AM to do it.
My cell phone alarm sounded right on time.
It’s hard to ignore the chorus of “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”
I didn’t pray when I woke up.
I’m a morning person, but not a chicken farmer.
If I had prayed, the prayer might have gone something like this:
God, how did I get myself into this?
Email.
My friend and his wife were leaving the country for a couple of weeks to visit family.
At 2:01 PM on the day before their departure, I sent an email asking how their packing was going and if they needed a ride to the airport.
Doggone if they didn’t take me up on it.
The merciful thing about getting up before the rooster is that you’re numb.
What’s to feel?
Our trip to the airport takes the better part of an hour each way. But it saves my friends two weeks of parking fees. And it’s easier on them when someone drops them off and picks them up.
No need to budget extra time to catch the shuttle to and from the parking lot, while hauling—in the case of my friends—enough luggage to make a mule mad.
Friends or not, who wants to play taxi driver in the dark?
Who wouldn’t entertain at least the fleeting thought, “Why on earth did I hit the ‘Send’ button?”
It’s normal.
Friends, don’t take it personally. You do it, too.
But in the end, when we’re driving home after the deed is done, isn’t everyone the better for it?
Our friends feel good because they saved time and money. And they got to chat with you during the ride, once the numbness of the Rooster’s Hour wore off.
We feel good, too.
That’s partly because we know we need each other.
And it’s partly because the Spirit inside us is dancing, delighted to see that God’s wiring still works.
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.
—Proverbs 17:17 NLT
Steve is giving away 10 free books. Here’s where you toss your name in the hat.
The difference between being young and being old is that, when your’e old, you get up at 4:00 in the morning to go some place early — when you’re young you just stay up until 4:00.
I’m not sure I was ever young, then. I know my son still often stays up into the wee hours to play video games with his friends scattered around the country. I didn’t have that option when I was young. I’m not sure I would have had the energy, either. Not after the manual labor I did before and during college, along with the studying.