5:00am “Wha…??? Oh, it’s just Shadow.” (The cat. She jumped up on me.) 5:05am Cat walks across my chest. 5:07am Cat climbs on my chest and begins kneading my stomach until I roll over. 5:09am Cat sits beside me and begins meowing, on cue, like a metronome, at 46 meows per minute. This goes on for about 30 minutes, until I finally relent and get up. She knows when it’s “food time,” and won’t quit with the kneading-pawing-climbing-meowing thing until I get up to feed her. (Kind of annoying, yet endearing at the same time…) 6:00 Struggle to feed the cat, as she walks through, around, and over my legs and feet, tripping me constantly, in my pre-caffeine state of semi-awareness, the whole way from the pantry to her “feeding station.” 6:04 Make coffee (the cat is now preoccupied, inhaling her food), then walk, unencumbered, to the fridge. 6:05 Rats. The half-and-half has turned to sludge. Add that to the list. 6:08 Company coming over tonight. Clean up the kitchen. Oh, and the guest bathroom needs cleaning. 6:20 Clean up bathroom. Look for clean (matching) towels. No matching towels in the closet. 6:27 Notice air purifier needs new filter. Check cabinet. No more filters. Add that to the list. 6:28 Put dirty bathroom towels in washing machine. 6:31 Need some breakfast. No more bacon in the fridge. Go to freezer. Grab last package of bacon. Add that to the list. And on it goes, until the clock runs out, and I have to leave to get to church for staff meetings. Do your mornings go like this? Busy from the moment you wake up? When will I have any time to read the assigned pages for our Community Bible Experience list for this week? When will I make time for…God? Oh, I know. Most of you are much more disciplined than me, and do your daily readings and devotions first thing when you wake up. Or maybe, you read just before you go to bed (I can’t do that. As soon as my head hits either the back of my recliner or the pillow in bed, I’m out). But, maybe, some of you struggle with this like I do…this making-time-for-God thing. Since I spend so much time behind the wheel these days, I do a lot of my connecting with God while I’m driving. No, I don’t try to read the Bible while I’m driving (still trying to find the best time to do this). But, I do a lot of praying, thinking, and reflecting while I’m driving. Seldom do I turn on the radio or put in a CD or a tape (yes, my vehicle is still old enough to have a cassette tape player!). Driving is a time when I’m fed spiritually (as long as the other drivers on the road don’t do stupid stuff and yank me from my spiritual connection back to the realities of the road…). It’s my spiritual “food time.” When does connecting with God get added to your list? When is it “food time” for your soul? God, a lot like Shadow in the mornings, is always reaching out to us…pawing at us…getting in our way (so to speak)…always there—so much so that we can’t help but “trip over” Him. God wants us to connect with Him, to be an integral part of our lives. If you are one of those who struggle, like me, to find time…that is…make time, to read your daily CBE lessons, maybe we can struggle together. Maybe we can share some ideas that would help us discover that “food time” for our souls. Reach out to me… Mornings are good… I’m awake most every day, after about 5:00am. Blessings on your journey, Pastor Tenny