EVERYONE NEEDS SOME MORNING SUGAR

I awake each day with the knowledge that life will present me a smorgasbord of adventures. There are demands of my time and energy, there are decisions to be made, and there are things to be done. Dealing with the responsibilities and issues before me can be a challenge.

The pressures sometimes get to me. Attempting to lead a congregation, and to keep people stirred up and on fire for God is an awesome task. When people worship the Lord and are supportive, there is nothing better. But like Moses, when people are grumbling and divisive, it can weigh you down...

Which leads me to my thought this morning, and I hope to encourage you with it-- EVERYONE NEEDS SOME MORNING SUGAR. I will get several "kisses" today: My beautiful wife of 37 years will awaken in a few minutes from the time I am blogging this. I will get what I call some morning sugar from her. It will just be a little kiss, and I will say something like "good morning, Sunshine, or good morning, Pretty Girl." (my pet names for her). The morning kiss from Trish will help establish my day. Her support and love for me mean everything. My morning sugar help kick start my day. When I am going through something, when I am facing trials and persecutions, the morning kiss means, I am here with you, and we can make it.

Shortly, I will go down to feed the labrador retriever I got for my grandson's 4th birthday. (more on Zach in a moment). I will then put Buster on a lease and we will do our morning walk. While playing with him, I will get about a dozen kisses, licks, sugars. I really don't want them, he has doggie breath, but he is intent on making me know I am loved. Although messy and stinky, I will admit I have grown fond of my Buster kisses.

I am fortunate to get some other morning sugars: At some point this morning I will head up to the church. My grandson, Zach attends our daycare. He is typically in school there until after lunch when he comes home. I may be out running errands, but I will run by the church. I've got to get my morning sugar from Zach. Now 4 years old, he brightens my life. Zachary will come running to me when I pop my head into the door of his class in the daycare, and I will get some sugar from him. Then all his class will join in. Before I have left the daycare, I will check on things and say hello to the teachers and staff. Other little ones will see me, and some of them want some sugar as well. What a great thing! To be blessed with the love of the children.

There's another kiss that I want to make sure I get every day. It's the kiss of heaven. As I sit here praying and meditating before the Lord, I am seeking direction. A couple of things are weighing in on me. I feel a morning kiss. I sense a voice saying, It's going to be alright. I can work it out. It's not an audible voice, but one that is very real nonetheless. The kiss of God is on me today. A fresh touch of heaven fills my life. Thank you, Lord, for my morning sugar. I need it to start the day.

You may not have a spouse, your grandkids may be grown and living away, and you may not have a pet dog. For that matter, you may feel alone this morning-- but you are not. The same God that is here with me in 1790 Harris Henrietta Road knows your address. Whether an apartment, a senior citizen home, or a prison cell. Whether serving in a foreign country in the military or a missionary in a third world land. You can't get too far that He doesn't know, and that He can't come. I think He's there with you now-- waiting for you to receive some morning sugar.

Y'all be blessed!
Pastor Ronnie