I have a choice...

When the clock shows six,
And the sun isn't yet peeking through my window,
When the house is quiet,
And the little blessings have not yet begun to stir,
I have a choice.

   I can turn over in my bed,
   Cover my head and hide,
   Snuggle back in for more dreaming.
 
   Or instead I can remember Jesus,
   How He would arise early and get away,
   That He would choose to pray in solitude.

When the children are loudly playing,
And toys are strewn from wall to wall, tossed about underfoot,
When the summer heat keeps them indoors,
And the laundry piles up on the unwashed floor,
I have a choice.

   I can yell, "Be Quiet!",
   Throw toys away in fits,
   Cry over undone chores.

   Or instead I can remember my Heavenly Father,
   How He is patient and full of mercy,
   That He gently shepherds me, as I ought my children.

When the daily pressures of life set in,
And the "to-do" list stretches far too long,
When things don't go as I had planned,
And rainbows don't peek out from behind the storm cloud,
I have a choice.

   I can look for distractions,
   Waste time in the meaningless things,
   Indulge in something comfortable.

   Or instead I can remember what faith does,
   How it believes that God is doing good here,
   That through trials comes perseverance.