Usually, I wake up about 515-530am. For all but one or two days of this trip, it hasn't mattered that I am waking up in India as opposed to Elko. I am just conditioned to getting up by 530 or so.

At home, I am usually well into a pot of coffee by 535am or so. Over here, the hotel restaurant doesn't open until 7am--no java jolt! In that intervening hour and a half, I have been making my way to the hotel's Business Centre to read and do my devotions.

A couple mornings ago, as I was settling into a chair and adjusting the volume of the music on my iPod (no 50 Cent, just Amy Grant), a random thought passed through my head: I wonder what I will GET to do today?

Just as quickly, this thought followed: If I were at home, I would be wondering what would I HAVE to do today?

The contrast between the two thoughts left me thinking for some time. Do I have to come to an exotic, distant foreign land to be excited by the prospects for the day? Are things in my "regular" life so routine that there is no excitement?

As I thought about the contrast between waking up excited in India and to a same old routine in Elko, I thought back to our worship last Sunday. In the middle of the service, we were invited to sing a special song for the congregation. Due to a communication gap, we hadn't planned anything and the majority of us were taken completely by surprise (one or two of us said, "Oh, that is what they were saying yesterday!?!") Anyway, put on the spot, we spontaneously responded to Rebekah's inspired prompting to sing "This Is The Day."

That song and the verse upon which it is based form the perfect framework for each of us to begin every day--whether yet another routine, dull day in Wherever, USA... or an intriguing, exciting day in Chennai, India: This IS the day the Lord has made... I will rejoice and be glad in it!! This IS the day the Lord has made... What do I GET to do today?