The Value of Today
Let me introduce you to my Pinterest Life.
In that world, I have an ideal, pretend home; where every room is organized and color coordinated. I’ve collected wonderful DIY ideas just waiting to be started, places and trips I want to see, tons of painting ideas eager to be expressed, recipes, and party plans, all waiting to be done in some FUTURE time.
“Someday,. . . ” I think to myself, “someday I’m going to do this.” Many times, however, these ideas gather virtual dust, and don’t leave my laptop. They actually should be labeled ‘Marie’s Postponed Projects’.
It’s one thing to postpone projects, it’s another (and even worse) thing to postpone important relationships.
It’s easy to live in a world of good intentions. “SOMEDAY, I’ll do this.”
“Someday, • When I am less busy. . . • When I have more money. . . • When I’m in the mood. . . • When he/she changes. . . • When I have more time. . .
I will: • Spend more time with my spouse • Participate in my children’s lives • Get closer to my family • Be a better steward of my life/work/time/health • Invest more in my relationships • Get serious about following God
Many, many years ago, a dear lady realized she had limited time left to live. Her beautiful plan was to express her love, be it in speech or in writing, to her children. Her round eyes were glowing with love and affection as she spoke to me of her son, and how proud she was of him.
Unfortunately, she kept postponing her plan. She suffered a stroke and it was too late. So the good-intentioned ideas never became a reality, her loving words were never said, the love letters remained unwritten.
At her wake, I met the son and shared to him the loving words his mom had wanted to say. This distinguished, tall young man bawled like a baby. Up to this day, I will never forget the heartbreaking sadness behind his reply. “I never knew! My mom never told me. . .”
This experience served as a wake-up call to me as a young mom. I never wanted my sons to wonder if I loved them. I wasn’t going to wait for a “someday” to tell them.
So at bedtime, as they were growing up, after prayers, and with the lights turned off, this crazy mother would knock again and say, “Boys, don’t forget!!!” I would not be satisfied until each of them would reply: “Yes mom, I know! You love me.”
* Never Underestimate the Value of Today.
“Today” is like the currency you can use to invest in a life. You have 24 hours to spend it.
“Today” is a chance to develop yourself, to start a better habit or a worse one.
“Today” is an opportunity to build courage in someone.
“Today” is a window to say ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I forgive you’, ‘I thank God for you’, or ‘You are important to me’.
“Today” is the day we can decide to live for God and stop making excuses.
. . .Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts . . .Psalm 95:6-8
* “Someday” is not the 8th day of the week. The only time “someday” arrives is if you make it part of the 7 days of the week.
Is there a responsibility that God has put in your heart to do? Is there a relationship that God has put in your heart to mend? Or to phrase it in another way:
“What can you do today, that your future self will thank you for?
Will you fritter your time away in senseless pursuits?
Time moves on. Opportunities change. Children grow up. Parents grow old.
Receive God’s grace today to live a real, fulfilling life. Not just a make-believe Pinterest life, full of “somedays” that never come.
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24
My Comments Policy
While my site offers visitors the ability to converse, I have a few ground rules so that our conversations will remain civil and courteous.
1. You must register in order to leave a comment. I don’t entertain pseudo, anonymous or bogus individuals. This site is my home (it has a Home Page, get it). I don’t let strangers who don’t introduce themselves into my home.
2. I love questions. I love them because a lot of times they are similar to someone else’s questions and can even trigger other questions from others. Questions also keep us all sharp. This is also why I respond to them as best as I can and at the soonest possible time. I believe that group answering benefits more people than private email exchanges.
3. We don’t have to agree. Debates are welcome. However, whether it is with me or any other visitors of my site, my rule is this: disagree if you must but keep things civil. That’s just how I run my home, and you are a visitor here. No shouting; I have seen it done in writing. No cursing and no insulting.
4. I reserve the right to delete your comments. Like I said, this is my home. I do not have an obligation to publish your comments. As a human being, you may enjoy the freedom to express your opinions on your own site but not on mine. To be specific, I will delete your comments if you post content that is in my sole opinion: (a) snarky; (b) off-topic; (c) libelous, defamatory, abusive, harassing, threatening, profane, pornographic, offensive, false, misleading, or which otherwise violates or encourages others to violate my sense of decorum, civility or any law, including intellectual property laws; or (d) “spam,” i.e. an attempt to advertise, solicit, or otherwise promote goods and services. You may, however, post a link to your site or your most recent blog entry.
5. You retain ownership of your comments. I do not own them and I expressly disclaim any and all liability that may result from them. By commenting on my site, you agree that you retain all ownership rights in what you post here and that you will relieve me from any and all liability that may result from those posts.
6. You grant me the license to post your comments. This license is worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free. By posting comments on my site, you automatically grant me the right to store, use, transmit, display, publish, reproduce, and distribute your comments in any format, including but not limited to a blog, in a book, video, or presentation.
In short, my goal is to host interesting conversations with caring, honest, and respectful people. I believe this clear and simple comments policy will facilitate this.
