Ora et Labora: A glimpse of the morning

6:42am. Alarm goes off. It's still dark out. Hit snooze. 6:46am. Alarm goes off again. Turn on the light and wake myself up with a shower. Put on some water for tea and make a breakfast of oatmeal with fresh milk and pecans that fell at our door. Reach for my Bible to read today's devotion passages. The tea kettle whistles and soon I am walking through the dew-drenched grass into the rising sun, steaming mug in hand. Red clay clings to my boots. Fresh light cuts through the majestic pecan orchards. My heart swells and I slow my pace to take it in. I enter into the sacred silence of the chapel. Two candles burn at the front and the community gradually fills the pews. We sit facing one another, as in a Quaker meeting I once attended. To me it's a reminder that we're all in this together. Readings aloud from the Old Testament prophets and Elizabeth starts us on a hymn or spiritual. Voices join in as we recognize or learn the song, most in unison, some in harmony. I love the harmonies. We stand for a reading from the Gospel and someone shares some thoughts and words of encouragement from the readings. We sing again and file out into a circle on the grass. The sun is now even brighter, illuminating the beautiful faces around the circle, and I stand where I can face it even though I must shield my eyes. Who can help but smile in the presence of such beauty?
I step into the day with a heart full of gratitude.

“The unity of prayer and work, the unity of the day, is found because finding [God] behind the day’s work is what Paul means by his admonition to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17). The prayer of the Christian reaches, therefore, beyond the time allocated to it and extends into the midst of the work. It surrounds the whole day, and in so doing, it does not hinder the work; it promotes work, affirms work, gives work great significance and joyfulness. Thus every word, every deed, every piece of work of the Christian becomes a prayer... “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Col 3:17).” Bonhoeffer, Life Together

(Ora et labora = Latin, "pray and work")