Today #1
May 17, 2007
". . . you pile up enough tomorrows, and you'll find you are left with nothing but a lot of empty yesterdays. I don't know about you, but I'd like to make today worth remembering."
- Professor Harold Hill, The Music Man
When I was an elementary school teacher I used to have this quote from Harold Hill posted on my classroom wall. Each morning when I greeted my fourth, fifth, or sixth grade students I would either recite this quote or I would say to them, "Today is the only May 17th, 2007 (or whatever day it was) you and I are ever going to get........ so let's give our best in all we do."
Over the years I could tell that this daily occurrence of focusing upon "today" made a lasting impression on my students. In all honesty, I said it as much for myself as I did for them. I wanted to remember the value and realize the potential of the day ahead of me.
I don't teach elementary school anymore and at times I find that I forget the value of "today." I take "today" for granted and rest upon yesterday's successes or set my hopes on trumped up plans for tomorrow. In reality all I really have is "today"--yesterday is gone and there is no guarantee of tomorrow. I need a reminder of the gift of "today" in my life.
Thankfully God reminds me.
Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Today is a gift from God. As the morning sun rises and God hands me the gift of a new day, He assures me of His presence and says, "Let's go give our best and make today worth remembering."
Ryan,
How true it is that we so often forget that today is the day that the Lord has made. He hasn't made tomorrow yet and still we plan and plod and lose focus on the precious gift that we have right before us.
Just last week, our friend and brother in Christ, Don Christensen (minister of music at Valley Pentecostal) was diagnosed wth late stage pancreatic cancer. It has spread into his lungs, brain, and liver. The doctors have given him precious little time. Don is truly one of those gifts from God. He means so much to so many people.
When I spoke with him the other night, my heart was heavy. Don spoke of petitioning God for more time with his children and his wife. I noticed he wasn't concerned about worldly posessions, his business, or anything else. Every day is a gift and this powerful conversation with my friend reminded me to expericience the eternal in every moment of the day. Even in the mundane, Christ wants us to transend to a place of connection and relationship with Him and those around us. We don't know when we will be taken from this place. As Don told me, "Chris, keep living for Jesus, in the end we win anyway".
Blessings,
Chris
Posted by: Chris Housel | May 27, 2007 at 08:14 AM