starry-eyed date

I arrived home late Thursday night. After catching up with Mom, I headed up to Ramoth Gilead - the home of my grandparents, Papa James & AnnaLee. I'd be staying there for the weekend. As I turned the key in the lock, I was flooded with memories:
*childhood hikes through the meadow & out to the bluffs
*discovering fairy holes
*countless photo shoots
*endless sleep-overs
*Saturday morning Mr. Rogers "won't you be my neighbor"
*...and the list could go on for miles...
I peacefully fell into bed soon after midnight. After a restful night of sleep, I woke up without my alarm. I lay there listening to the silence. Enjoying every second, I thought, "I'm home and I love the way home feels." Without knowing what time it was I decided I would put on my sneakers and head out for an early morning walk. I rolled over and caught my first glance at the time...FIVE O'CLOCK AM!
"Ok, body, now you've just gone crazy! Go back to sleep. You don't need to be anywhere for atleast 2 1/2 hours."
"No thanks," was my body's calm response.
So, after fighting with myself for about 20 minutes, I rolled out of bed and snuck outside. The early morning sunrise hadn't even awakened to greet me. I looked up and was awestruck by the sight!
"Good morning, Love. I thought you'd enjoy the view," rang the sweet sound of my Jesus in my soul.
Suddenly, I was taken back to Mauritania, Africa - 2003. While spending 5 days in a Saharan mud hut village, I would lie awake for hours every night staring at the star-lit sky. I had never felt so intimately loved by such an enormous Creator God before that week - or quite honestly since that week.
Back in Arkansas, with the stars glistening in the black sky (not quite as bright as the did in Africa) my heart was set on fire with an intimate love for my Creator. All I could do was lay on my back staring at His immense wonder and worship His incomparable reality. Surrender was no longer an option. In this moment, it was the natural overflow of my heart.
One line from my latest song rushed to mind, "wholly Thine, in this moment for eternity..."

"The heavens declare the glory of God and I want to join them," came the response of my soul.

During my starry-eyed date another piece of my hardened heart was miraculously softened by the love of my God and I knew His stubborn love still hasn't given up on me.