It’s a Brand New Day

Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come, but this day is the day we have an opportunity to practice recognizing God’s blessings in everything – even in the things we don’t especially like! It’s a big deal to wake up to a new day, because yesterday was the very last day on this earth for many.

It’s a brand new day with potential and possibilities! It’s also a brand new day to posture ourselves with a “can-do-anything, all-is-well” mindset. At the beginning of each day, we step into the world and, if we’re intentional, we’ll avoid the news and the bickering and the sensational soundbites. That will be a good thing. We can be on purpose in avoiding the yuck of this world so that we are clear-headed and clear-hearted.

It’s a brand new day. We are still here, and God has a reason for it! We keep reminding my almost 98-year-old mother-in-law of that when she says: "I'm done. Take me home, Lord!" We know there's a reason for her life AND yours and mine. Life is a matter of perspective. No blessing is too small or unimportant. And even if this day comes with some unwelcome surprises, we remember God has a master plan in place….and, if we’ll look, we’ll even see the blessings tucked in-between those surprises. We take the good with the bad, and God is gracious to give us both as a reminder that every good and perfect thing starts with Him. (James 1:17)

Take heart, my friends. It’s a brand new day and we can lift our hearts in praise and thanksgiving for it. All is well. Let’s take deep breaths…because we can. We aren’t on ventilators. We aren’t bed-fast. We aren’t in prison. We aren’t on a street begging for bread. We aren't a lost cause.

So what can we do well today? We can do our part. We can fight the good fight. We can work for justice and freedom. We can offer grace to those who need God’s grace and He can use us to give it to them. Let’s move about with mercy and understanding and even though folks can’t see us doing it through our masks – let’s SMILE. That smile radiates in our eyes that twinkle with God’s love. Folks will “eye” it. Let’s be kind. Let’s love.

It’s a brand new day. Clean slate. Let’s make new memories, celebrate life and all its many thrills – after all, this is the last day we have today.

March On

I know DSW Shoes was making a play on words with their email advertisement yesterday. After all, we are in the month of MARCH and it's time to MARCH ON. Here are lines from their ad:

*****OK, IT’S TIME: TIME TO FINALLY REALIZE “I WILL” WALKS ALL OVER “I CAN’T.”
*****IT'S TIME: TO CONFRONT EACH NEW CHALLENGE, AND DECIDE WHETHER TO GIVE UP, GIVE IN, OR GIVE IT ALL YOU GOT.
*****WAKE UP. PUT ON YOUR SHOES……MARCH ON.

Their ad worked. Here I am passing it on because it said something. The fact is life happens, stuff happens and we can decide whether to give up, give in or give it all we've got.

The first photo here was of my grandson's Army platoon marching for their Ft. Benning, GA Ranger graduation ceremonies. Notice they were FORWARD marching NOT backward marching. Whether soldiers are at their home base moving from one post to another, or are on the battlefield….they are on assignment and they will not cease until their mission has been accomplished. Paul said in Philippians 3:13,14: “…..but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining FORWARD to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” MARCH ON.

For over 44 years, my assignment included a partnership with a beautiful man and we accomplished a great deal during those years. Though Heaven called his name and his earth assignments ended, Heaven hasn’t called my name. I’m still here!!!! And, because I’m still here, there’s work for me to do, places for me to go and assignments I must complete. I take my “single” life on with fervor and with great ambition. I embrace the life God has given me and I purpose to make the most of every day. That’s God’s gift to me, and my gift back to Him is my attitude of “winning, conquering, celebrating and overcoming”, because He promised that to me. Jesus said, “I am come that you may have life, and have it in abundance”. (John 10:10). So I MARCH ON!

Don’t think for a moment that I don’t appreciate the beautiful life that I shared with my Sweetheart. I often think about those sweet years. And, I could “sit there” in my thoughts for hours on end, and if I stayed “there”, momentum in accomplishing my assignments would be stalled. But, I’ve determined to not “stay there”. It gets me nowhere! If I stayed there, I would be like a soldier gone AWOL (absent without leave). My precious Mom passed away at age 94. When she was still here, she would ask, “Why doesn’t God take me home? I’m ready to go!” And I would always tell her, “He’s not finished with you here, yet! Keep sharing your love with others, pray, and be here for us! That’s your assignment until you get called home!” You and I are still here and we, too, must complete our God-given assignments. We MARCH ON!

What are the assignments that God has given you? What are you going to accomplish with YOU? Life is worth LIVING. We’re still here and we’re “on assignment” – let’s get our MARCH-ing orders – our MISSION is possible! So we, MARCH ON!

Don't Waste Today

It's a brand new day and a brand new week! Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come, but this day is the day we have an opportunity to practice recognizing God’s blessings in literally EVERYTHING! It's a pretty big deal to simply WAKE UP to a new day, because yesterday, was the very last day on this earth for many.

We are still here, and God has a reason for it! Life is a matter of perspective. No blessing is too small or inconsequential. And though this day may come with some unwelcome and unexpected surprises, remember God has a master plan in place.....and, if we'll look, we'll even see the blessings that come with those surprises!!

Now let's go make memories, celebrate life and all its many thrills -- after all, this is the LAST day we'll have TODAY!