Waking Up

How do you like to wake up?  My choice of waking up would be to the sound of birds chirping outside the bedroom window, with warm sunshine and a gentle sweet smelling breeze wafting in past lacy curtains.  To the smell of bacon and toast or muffins cooking in the other room.  To the gentle kiss and hug from my DH.  To the sound of happy voices and laughter. 

Alas, usually I awake to the beeping of the alarm, in the dark, across the cold bedroom.  Sometimes I'll wake up before the alarm, but especially this time of year it is always still dark.  I don't enjoy waking up and getting up in the cold and the dark, but sometimes we just need to do it anyway.  Not every day can be a bright, warm, sunshiny day.  Sleep is good and sleep is necessary, but so is getting up and getting on with doing the good things that are expected of us each and every day. 

I was thinking this morning about this verse penned by the prophet Nephi:

Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.    2 Nephi 4:28

Just like our bodies need to wake up every day and get to the work of the day, we regularly need to also awaken our spirits and urge them on to do the good that needs to be done.  Have I paid attention to my spirit lately?  Is it awake and active?  Or am I allowing it to sleep, or vegetate, or even to droop in sin?  Wake up spirit!  Let me feed you!  Let me give you some exercise!  Let's get to work!