Last night, we drove to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to be with Christine (our older daughter) and Phillip. We plan to spend a few days with them.
Christmas happened, and it was great! Family. Friends. Lots of food. The football game — the uncles versus the nieces and nephews. Well, we did borrow a niece and nephew for our team. Seeing young children who have grown. Seeing older relatives who have aged.
I enjoy going to Florence (Alabama) each year. My wife is from there. Our children were born there. Our family lived there almost eight years (when our children were very small). Some of the most important and defining years of my ministry were spent there.
Christmas this year reminded me that life is happening RIGHT NOW.
Some people, on the other hand, seem to think that life is what happened in the past. They refer to the past as if that was the time that real life happened. Some parents show little, if any, interest in their adult children’s present lives. However, they are ready to relive their high school senior play ("Remember, you had the lead role!") or a high school football game. The problem is not their interest in the past. The problem is that they see the past as the time when life happened.
There are other people who get lost in what they hope for the future. For these people, life is not what is happening now. Life is what will happen "someday."
- "One day, we are going to have a lot of money."
- "One day, we will have plenty of time to spend together."
- "One day, we will travel and go wherever we want to go."
- "One day, we will be able to slow down and really spend some great time with our kids."
- "One day, we will do all the things we’ve talked about wanting to do."
One day …
Meanwhile, life is what is happening right now.
So, I want to open my eyes, take a deep breath, and live today. Life is not wishing we could go back. Life is not waiting for everything to finally come together. Life is happening today.
Seize the Day!
Amen! Well said!
Wish you knew how timely your comments are. Thanks for the note.
So true, Jim. I look forward to your insights in 07, but I’m enjoying them right now as well!!
Amen to your comments today. And:
1. You need to try the barbeque at Bunyan’s in Sheffield or Florence. My grandfather worked with John Cole at Ford when he used to do the cooking as a sideline. His food has been famous for years.
2. There is a great catfish restaurant just north of the mall on 72 called Newburn’s Restaurant. (spelling?) They are closed on Sunday.
3. Check out Tuscumbia’s renovation. It’s pretty cool.
Enjoy your family time!
So true, Jim. Life is present tense in Jesus. Based on the past Christ-event, and looking forward to the future, the completion of that event. But living that event in the here and now!
Amen, I want to really live today, theres a saying about spiritual development that Im reminded of reading this "I’m not were Im going, Im not where Ive been I somewhere in the middle", We will always miss the most important things if were consumed by the past or the present thatnks for reminding me of that today. Enjoyed your comment also Ted.
Jim,I appreciate those thoughts. Thanks for sharing.My wife is from Florence too!
A very good comment Ted. I like the way you state this.
Ann,So glad you stopped by. You really do have deep roots in that part of the country. I have been to Bunyan’s in Florence. One of my favorite places.I have seen the Tuscumbia renovation (especially like the bookstore). This has done wonders for the area.So glad you stopped by.
Liam,I really like the line you quote about spiritual development. Very good. Thanks.
Thanks Matt, Greg, Brad, Allan, and Keith. So glad each one of you stopped by.
Absolutely excellent and very timely. Well, said!By the way, who won the game?
Gallagher,Thanks. And thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment. I hope you will return.The game? THE UNCLES. (By two touchdowns). We did pay for it the next day with much soreness. 🙂