any given instant

 Tuesday, July 14, 2026 (4:34 a.m.)

“Oh yeah…"

I’ve said it out loud several times in the last half hour.

“… I asked to wake up to check the sprinklers."

“… I have to flip the switch to turn the outdoor lights on.”

“… THAT’s where I put my phone!”

So many “oh yeah"s already. What else do You have for me?

“… I was planning to start the laundry right off.”

“… there are errands to run.”

♪Who am I that You keep me on Your mind?

God I’m Just Grateful for You

God I’m just grateful for You

All my life, You’ve been right here by my side

God I’m just grateful for You♪ 

(5:10 a.m.)

Father, thank You for all the directions my brain goes in any given instant. Always with the choice of filtering the thoughts through You.

Thank You for the promises and history recorded in Your Word. Thank You for the privilege and opportunity of exploring and basking in It.

(5:40 a.m.)

All faith, hope and LOVE (1 Corinthians 13:13) are found in You. Father, I ask (Matthew 7:7) that You continue providing all that is necessary for me to follow where You lead.

I love, need, trust and want You Dearest God. Use me as You know is best. Doing all You must that I glorify and enJOY You forever. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(230 words ~ 5:44 a.m.)

 

"Amen!"

 Monday, July 13, 2026 (5:06 a.m.)

Amen!

How’s that for a way to start the day?

(5:18 a.m.)

Mm, yes. In total agreement.

(5:38 a.m.)

Father God, thank You for the ways You work at changing us into Your image. Patiently. Faithfully. 

G R A C E / guilt [GRACE over guilt]

(5:55 a.m.)

♪Oh Lord, I need You now, more than ever

Would You put my heart back

I searched the world ’til my head hurt

Just to find out Your Way’s Better♪

I do not have sufficient words for thanking You adequately for the changes You continue making in, with, by, through and for me. It’s a polite enough expression. I pray You see the depth the simplicity of “Thank You, God” takes in my heart.

Bible Truths keep flooding in. Stony heart (Ezekiel 36:26). Faith, hope and LOVE (1 Corinthians 13:13). L (tr) O (u) V (th) E [Truth in love] (Ephesians 4:15).

Lord God, You have so very much for us to learn. And Your patient presence bears with us all the mistakes we continue making. Thank You Father.

2 Peter 3:9-12

Psalm 34:12-14; 103:8-10

Isaiah 41:10

Thank You for teaching us to take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:1-8). “For this world is not our permanent home…” (Hebrews 13:14).

Which brings me all the way back to the original “Amen!” with which I started. I agree with You Lord. Heartfully. I want to represent You well. Do all You must to this end.

Even by teaching me just now another thing I have missed through all these years of loving and trusting You. Another name for Jesus? Found in His letter to the church in Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22). 

“… these are the words of the Amen - the trusted and faithful and true Witness, the Beginning and Origin of God’s creation:” (v. 14b Amplified Bible).

Oh, amen, Dear Lord. Amen. Amen. Amen! 

Use me exactly as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. I love You. Amen.

(3:42 words ~ 6:50 a.m.)

musing

 Sunday, July 12, 2026 (5:30 a.m.)

Awesome God,

Thank You for time to sit. Imagine. Wonder. Consider. Mm… muse. Yes! I am musing with You. Thank You.

♪Peace Be Still

Say the word and I will

Set my feet upon the sea

Till I’m dancing in the deep♪

Psalm 119:147-149

Colossians 2:7; 3:16

2 Timothy 3:16-17

(6:31 a.m.)

Most Blessed and Awesome God, thank You for the care You take with each and every one of Your beloved children. Thank You for the opportunity of learning to pour out my heart and soul to You.

Who knew [You did!] that all these years/decades of me sitting with You in the mornings is considered musing. Wow! How incredibly blessed I am to have stumbled upon this practice. Thank You, thank You, Lord.

Use me today as only You are able. I love, need, trust and want You as You know is best. Do in, with, by, through and for me exactly as You have planned (Jeremiah 29:11). Musing on You and Your Word as I go.

Thank You Father. Praise You Lord. Amen.

(174 words ~ 6:40 a.m.)

corralled and funneled

 Saturday, July 11, 2026 (3:30 a.m.)

Good very early morning Lord,

Thank You for the willingness to just get up out of bed, rather than stay and fight with the sheets.

♪Get up, get up, get up

Get up out of that grave♪

(I Thank God)

Thank You that in these very early hours my brain is darting from thought to thought. Much like the dragonflies with which I have become so enamored.

(4:21 a.m.)

Father, thank You for this time to sit. Reflect. Explore. Sing. Become captivated. Enjoy. Smile. Hope. 

And just like that [snap!] my thoughts take another turn. How I ask (Matthew 7:7) You to corral and funnel them through what You know is best for me.

Thank You again for this early opportunity of being with You. Having looked first at the meaning of “this ungodly hour.” Shifting then to learning more about dragonflies and what they can teach us.

Diving into Your Word. Flitting from chapter to verse. Again I ask You to guide and direct my attention. Isaiah 43:19. 1 Peter 2:1-2. 

Salt and Light (Matthew 5:13-16)

The Narrow Gate (Matthew 7:13-14)

(4:50 a.m.)

Now here I am, reading the whole of Proverbs 16. Trusting and believing that “We can make our own plans, but the LORD gives the right answer” (v.1).

Yes! “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (v. 9). “We may throw the dice (cast lots) but the LORD determines how they fall” (33).

Thank You that You are such a good and gracious, great and glorious God (Psalm 145:5-8). I love, need, trust and want You as my Guide in all I am, think, say and do.  

Prepare me for what comes next. Use me as You know is best. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(305 words ~ 5:11 a.m.)

turning fear into faith

 Friday, July 10, 2026 (4:40 a.m.)

It’s no secret Lord… I have difficulty making decisions! AND following through with them once I do.

Thank You that it doesn’t have to stay this way. Thank You that You make change possible.

Just like making the decision to brew a second cup of coffee just now. Thank You Lord!

(4:44 a.m.)

While it may not seem like much to most, any decision I make is often deemed a big deal for me. I confess to You the tendency I have of being afraid of choosing incorrectly.

Even saying this to You lightens the burden I’m so prone to carrying. Thank You for bringing to mind the image of a donkey that may very well be standing behind door number 3.

Yes Father! These are the thoughts that keep me frozen in a state of decision paralysis. Thank You

(5:06 a.m.)

Yes, thank You Lord.

Thank You that as I sit and consider the various blessings You provide, I also get to sing out to You.

♪I don’t want to be afraid

Every time I face the waves

I don’t want to be afraid…

I don’t want to fear the storm

Just because I hear it roar

I don’t want to fear the storm♪

(Peace Be Still)

(5:23 a.m.)

Yes Lord. I want very much to trust You with all that I am. And all that I have. Decision making hasn’t been my strong suit throughout the years. It doesn’t have to remain as such.

I can trust You. You’ve proven that in large and small ways all this time. Do all You must that I truly learn to ♪set my feet upon the sea ’til I’m dancing in the deep♪ (Matthew 14:22-33).

(5:51 a.m.)

You have such a magnificent way about You. I want desperately to lean into that magnificence and not be afraid.

Like with the raccoon just now. Slam the door. Scare it off. Do the dishes. Keep talking to You. And plan my next steps.

Father, thank You for being the God You are. The One we can talk with about everything.

Use me today. Exactly as You know is best. Teaching me to turn to You in all things. Trusting. And not being afraid.

I love, need, trust and want You. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(399 words ~ 6:03 a.m.)

  

You did it!

 ♪Day and night

Night and day

Let incense arise♪

(Worthy of It All)

Thursday, July 9, 2026 (4:55 a.m.)

You did it God!

You reminded me that I wanted to wake up seeking Your new mercies. And I have been. Thank You.

A smile came much sooner than days of late. Contentment is overriding thoughts of concern. There’s a degree of eagerness deep within. Even the experiment with yesterday’s coffee grounds mixed with fresh flavors was successful. Thank You for that too.

Yes. Thanking You is far more beneficial for me than fretting. Smiling comes more readily than frowning. You are behind every single one of the positive changes I ever want/hope to achieve.

(5:38 a.m.)

There’s a brand new day of opportunity for me to explore. Use me exactly as You alone know is best. Loving. Forgiving. Hoping. Trusting. Believing (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Do all You must that I represent You well. I love, need, trust and want You Dear Lord. Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(173 words ~ 5:49 a.m.)

 

new mercies

 Wednesday, July 8, 2026 (4:50 a.m.)

Awesome, Holy God,

Thank You!

Sometimes it takes me longer than others to get there. Yet here I finally am. Thanking You. Praising You. Singing. Smiling. Hoping. And yes, after several hours of resisting, ready to be truly awake.

Some early hours are easier than others. Thank You that Your mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

Perhaps that could become my waking thought each day. Instead of longing for more sleep, I'd bound out of bed. Eagerly searching to find Your new mercies that await us.

Yes!

New mercies described on the internet as “fresh forgiveness, grace, and compassion that God provides each day… every sunrise offers a clean slate and the strength needed for the present moment.”

Lord God, thank You!

Ephesians 1:10

(6:10 a.m.)

♪… I Trust In God, my Savior

The One who will never fail

He will never fail

Perfect submission, all is at rest

I know the Author of tomorrow has ordered my steps♪

Lord, thank You for the various ways You sing deep into my soul. Reading Your Word and songs come straight out. Thank You.

What would it be like Dear Lord, if I were truly to approach today as though I believe my steps are already ordered? To just take each challenge, obstacle and reward as it comes.

I’d like to attempt that trust today.

(6:29 a.m.)

Oh, most Holy God. You just keep Your Truth singing to me! Right now. Completely unexpected. A way I want to greet each morning. Singing joyfully to You!

♪Birds flying high, You know how I feel

Sun in the sky, You know how I feel

Breeze driftin’ on by, You know how I feel

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day

It’s a new life for me, yeah…

And I’m Feeling Good♪

Yes Father! I want to greet each new day feeling good. Do all You must in making my first thoughts in the morning those of joyous thanksgiving rather than desperate pleas for more sleep.

I love, need, trust and want You as my Portion; my cup of blessing (Psalm 16:5). “You will show me the way of life, granting me the [full] joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever” (v. 11). Yes. Yes. Oh, yes!

♪Day and night, night and day, let incense arise…♪

(Worthy of It all)

Yes! Thank You. Praise You. Amen.

(412 words ~ 7:01 a.m.)