It’s 5:30 in the morning and I do not want to believe the time as my eyes peer from under the covers. Plagued by night sweats, I often don’t sleep very well and so this is prime sleeping time but I am up.  Reluctantly, I kick off the covers and trudge into the kitchen for my coffee.  I’ve got a busy day with company coming and so early is good.  With coffee in hand, I move towards the den and spend some time with my Lord.  At the end of this time I ask God to use me, to let me be Him today to someone.  I’ve got a full schedule and so after my prayer, I begin the laundry, peel the eggplant and start cleaning.  By 7:30 am the Eggplant Parmesan is in the oven, laundry is coming along and I’m washing the dishes and remember my friend.  My friend just lost a relative.  I call.  As I’m talking with her, I ask if she needs anything.  She responds, “brunch”.  I don’t really hear it.  I keep talking to her and offer my help next week, even a willingness to travel out of state as she cleans up what is often left in death and then I hang up the phone.  I start washing the dishes again.  Then I hear it, “Brunch!”  Oh my, I cannot believe what I just did.  My friend needed me to just visit with her, spend some time as she works through another loss.  I’m oblivious.  I’m too busy; I’m not like Christ.  Thoughts carry to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  In the darkest hours of His life, He asks his friends to sit with Him; to watch.  Three times friends are asked to sit and pray; three times He finds them sleeping.  I’m not sleeping, but I am too busy.  It’s not convenient, it’s not on my list and so I totally miss an opportunity to love my sister.

I pick up the phone.  I call my friend.  I ask for forgiveness.  I offer lunch.  We spend the afternoon together, I more humbled.  The early rising hour enabled me to get everything done on my list, God knew my day.  I thank Him for this and the opportunity to sit with my friend.