As I was working in the barn in the early morning mist today, I thought about all of the sunrises I experienced in many different places in my life. They started, of course, in my hometown of Newport News on Virginia's Hampton Roads. I remember awakening to see weak rays of light start shining through the abundant Chinese elms that lined our park-centered street, enhanced by foghorns blowing on ships in harbor heralding their arrival or departure or their anchorage in the low mist on the water. On some occasions, we might walk up to the nearby harbor and watch as the giant fiery orb rose over Fortress Monroe and the Chamberlin Hotel, bringing life and action to the busy Port of Hampton Roads. It was inspiring.
In the summers, I will never forget the beautiful Atlantic sunrises at Nags Head. I often slept on our enclosed oceanfront porch below our huge storm picture window. There is no way I could sleep even if I wanted to as the sun shone brightly as it come over the protective dune. More often than not, however, I was already up and either sitting on the seaside small dunes or down by the water watching the seagulls come alive just before the sun came up, starting out on their never ending quest for food to keep them flying. Those sunrises were beautiful even when the sun couldn't penetrate the clouds, but on a partly cloudy day it was amazing to watch as the sun turned the clouds from gray to purple then pink before changing to orange and yellow as it rose out of the sea rose. And, of course, a beautiful red sunrise meant that stormy weather would soon be on the way.
In college, if the weather wasn't freezing, we'd often roll our beds out on the screened porch where the sunrise over the gray desert mountains was breathtaking. Then later, in Army training, it was beautiful even while we were marching through the pine barrens and sandy soil of New Jersey to the rifle range, turning the dust clouds into colorful formations as the sun shone through the piney woods.
I've moved seventeen times in my life and no matter where I have lived, I always looked forward to the sunrise. And today, living on a rural homestead in the Sunshine State, I still marvel at the sunrise. So what does it mean to me? Well, in addition to being a reference point for all of the places I've lived and stages of life I've experienced, it gives me hope. After the end of a long and dark night, the sun gives us light and it does in a way that is particularly beautiful from the outset. It tells us that a magnanimous God has control of all things in life on this earth. If we are smart, we'll praise Him for the beauty and please Him for giving us this beautiful source of light which also is a major element for life. The majesty of it all is that He has given it to us because He loves us and wants us to live in His image.
So, what does the sunrise say to you? Take the time to think about it and formulate what it means to your life. It should result in a positive impact on your life since beautiful things do that. Get up and watch it, the meaning will come to you if you just take the time to witness it not just take it for granted. Have a blessed day.