Good morning? Really, no way. I wake up with that nagging little pounding somewhere deep behind one eye that I know is going to travel up, over and around about until it reaches the top and yep, the pounding has grown stronger as it goes. Even without the now full force headache, I simply woke up in a bad mood. I am sure it wasn’t the blaring radio alarm that went off oh, somewhere about 5:30 am and kept on and on singing about a wonderful happy life. I know it wasn’t the fact that the little furry two pound Mason that was wrapped so tight in the blankets that weighed down my legs and I could not get my foot out to breath. Let’s say there were several reasons that I had a right to be in a bad mood. I did however stay with my recent commitment and I opened my “First Five” app (Proverbs 31) and read the message and the scripture. Mood didn’t sway. Headache still on. So I sat and meditated for a bit hoping that I could just will it away. Nope. Then I read the Proverbs 31 devotion for the day. Still not a budge. Strolled through Facebook, found the tribute by Kathy Lee Gifford to her husband. Yes the mood swayed slightly and the headache just a slight less for her words were such a beautiful tribute not only to her husband but also how grateful he was to be in the life that God gave him. It was not always an easy life and it taught him his faith. Kathy shared the message to choose your stone in life just as David slew the Giant with the stone, small in size but bigger than life in faith. So I went forward on beginning my day. Even after that beautiful message, I was still just sour! A block from work and God finally makes a break through. He had sent me message after message and I kept blocking and knocking it back. He kept telling me how big his love was, how we were to show Unity to the world and to show His love, to pick our stone that will grow a faith bigger than we can imagine and that He had given me another beautiful day to live. Ok, so what got through to me this morning when I struggled with each moment that I was coming in contact with? Another devotional from Proverbs 31 on the radio and the message was…. The days we don’t like ourselves, God still does! He sees past the ugly Chari that greeted the break of dawn this morning. He sees past the grumbling and complaining. He sees right deep inside to his beautiful daughter that he created. He loves me in that ugly moment just as he loves me in the beautiful moments that I am still and soaking him in. He loves me as I doubt just as much as he loves me when I throw my stone. Who would ever believe that I would not hear Him in His words of Grace and Faith but when He gives up and says “Hey Chari, you are pretty ugly right now, but guess what, I love you still and I see past the ugly to the beautiful” Yes, I began to see the rays of sun peak through the overcast sky and as I am writing these words, I look back and see that I had a beautiful day, because I am loved through the ugly.