Today I woke up at 5 AM, rolled out of bed, grabbed my water bottle, and unplugged my iPhone to use as a flashlight as I walked around the bedroom. I crept around to avoid waking my wife, although usually, the two fans and portable AC unit drown out the noise of me bumping into things on my way to the bathroom. I close the door, turn the water on, wait for it to get hot, then hop in for a quick five-minute shower. After turning off the water, I squeegee the glass, jump out, dry off, get dressed, drink some water, grab my phone and watch, and try to sneak out of the bedroom without disturbing the light-sleeping, love of my life.
My morning routine is pretty consistent. I aim to get up around four, but some days I sleep a little longer. Although this seems like a basic and uneventful start to anyone’s day, it is packed with amazing realities that I never give any thought to.
Let me break it down for you. Before I even move, my body has started its 15,576th consecutive day of work (+9 months in the womb!). I give no thought to the fact that my heart plans on pumping 100,000 times today, circulating 2,000 gallons of blood, packed full of cancer fighting red blood cells. Nor do I consider that my lungs will take about 17,000 breaths, or that my stomach produces an alkaline substance every few milliseconds to prevent the acid from digesting itself. My brain fires up to produce somewhere between 50,000 to 60,000 thoughts today. One million skin cells will be replenished, and a combined 50 meters of hair will grow (maybe not that much since mine is thinning out a little!). A list of chemicals is being produced, and various other miracles are happening. And remember, I haven’t even moved yet! Once I do, muscles and tendons, and electrical pulses streak back and forth from the brain to each body part. To summarize, the first seconds of my day are packed with an incredible number of miracles that I give zero thought to.
Likewise, I do not think about the wonders of electrons moving to and from the cord I disconnect from my iPhone, nor the natural wonders trapped in a metal bottle that I pick up, which also makes up 80% of my body. I do not give a second thought to the carpet under my feet, the four walls and roof, circulating 68° air, or the security of the city in which I live. I take for granted the water that flows down the drain as I wait for a comfortable temperature before stepping in to clean my body --- which I just cleaned eight hours prior. I know I take too many showers, but that’s not the point! I pick what I’m going to wear from a closet filled with clothes that haven’t been worn in years and shoes collecting dust. Then I grab my second time-telling device because one isn’t enough (sarcasm), take a drink of that filtered water, and pass by my wife, who is still peacefully sleeping and loving me, as long as I didn’t do something wrong in her dreams, ha ha.
I start my day pretty much the same every day. Most likely, you are like me and give little to no thought to the miracles we take for granted. Unfortunately, we do not become aware of them until they are taken from us. They are status quo, our baseline. We have no connection to the generations that never saw these luxuries. We aren’t aware of the Third World countries where people don’t have a house or bed to sleep in, let alone air-conditioning, electricity, running water, and even drinking water. What about when we lose body functions or never had them to begin with?
I don’t say this to boast or imply that I was blessed more than anyone else. Quite the contrary. I say this for several reasons: One, I have been taking for granted so many things that are considered essentials to everyday life, when in reality, food, water, and clothing are the essentials. The second reason is one of the biggest downfalls of mankind: forgetfulness, which leads to pride or a self-reliant mindset. The last point ties to my previous post about our origin. The incalculable number of perfectly orchestrated miracles can only point to a Creator. It is beyond human comprehension how anyone could justify a randomized world if you start listing out everything. I never touched on our planet being perfectly balanced, at the perfect tilted axis, at the perfect distance from the sun, or that somehow we are spinning at 1,000 mph and not being thrown off into outer darkness.
I’m not an expert on anything, especially not all the facts I listed above. I guess what I’m trying to get at is this: if you don’t believe in a Creator, but all these coincidences don’t seem to add up to your current way of thinking, seek the truth. If you don’t know where to start, I’d recommend starting with a book that was begun over 4,500 years ago and contains many references to these “coincidences” long before science got around to proving them. The book I’m referring to is the Bible. I know you may think it’s a fictional book, but again, seek the truth. I think you’ll be shocked to find how historically accurate it is, even though people have tried to discredit it for thousands of years. The words are 100% true; the places and people really existed, many of which you can still visit today.
If you’ve never read a Bible, it can seem overwhelming. It can be hard to read from front to back. If you don’t know what you’re doing, there are great reading plans you can download. Ask a friend for help, or try starting in the chapter “John.” You’re more than welcome to email me at info@drybonescompany.com for help also!
And if you’ve been around Christians and have been hurt by their behavior, first off, let me apologize. Second, consider this: when you hear Mozart played poorly, you don’t blame the composer; you blame the musician. Don’t let your experience with a person(s) keep you from seeking and experiencing the Creator, the one true God.
So today, take a moment to appreciate the miracles in your own life. Seek the truth, explore the wonders of creation, and remember that each day is filled with countless blessings we often overlook. If you ever need guidance or a friend to talk to, I’m here for you.
Until next time, God bless...