Early to Rise

I don't know if you've ever noticed, but most of my posts go live at 5 a.m. (mountain time, of course). I do know that one can schedule when posts will go live (and I do), but I'm pretty intentional about that time.  There's something amazing about seeing the sun come up...and starting your day ahead of most everyone.

I wasn't always an early riser.  In fact, my parents used to make comments about my ability to sleep late.  I like to sleep.  What can I say?  I was a normal teenager.  I'm sure I've read studies that teens do actually need an exorbitant amount of sleep to grow and what not, but I couldn't tell you where. Anyway, it's actually been a more recent development of mine to be an early riser...and it didn't happen overnight.

A little over 4 years ago, a friend of mine started a crossfit type gym in our little town.  I work from 8 to 5, so I wasn't able to go to the afternoon class.  Besides, I knew that I would be too tired at the end of the day to go to the gym.  That left me with the 6:45 a.m. option.  Great!  That wasn't too early and the gym was close to my house, so I didn't have to get up very early...probably 6:20 a.m.  Then more people heard about the gym and classes got bigger and split.  Well, it's kind of nice to get it out of the way, so 6:30 a.m. class, here I come!  And we grew some more...  You get the point.  It was a little bit at a time.  6:30 a.m. turned into 6:15, then 5:45 a.m.  There's still a 5:45 a.m. class, but I go to the 5:00 a.m. class.  Yep.  That means I get up at 4:26 a.m. to get dressed and drive to workout.

Now that might seem like craziness to get up so early, but I've really come to cherish that time.  As I was prepping for my black belt test, the time after my workouts was my extra study time and writing time for my paper.  I still do some writing, and I've made it my quiet time with the Lord, too.  Again, there is just something amazing about watching the sun come up, hearing the birds begin to rustle, and the world wake up around me as I sit on my front porch to read God's love letter to me and listen for what He wants to tell me.  It's a gift. 

I find my day isn't the same if I don't get up early.  Any other #5AMclub folk out there that are surprised that you enjoy that early time of day?  My craziness for the 5 a.m. get up was confirmed when I read Start by Jon Acuff.  You'll have to check that one out on your own.  (It's a fantastic read!)

I'd love to hear how you came to be a member of the #5AMclub, if you are.  Please comment below...even if it's to say I'm crazy.  Make it a beautiful day, friends.