Today

One of the most favorite people in my life is my grandmother. She is the only living grandparent I have. She is your typical Southern, conservative, set-in-her-ways type of woman. We talk alot mainly because I like to joke around with her. She has a good sense of humor. Also, whenever she has pushed some buttons on her tv remote and screwed it up, she calls me to talk her through getting it back working again.


Besides making chess bars, one of the things my grandmother does best is worrying. She worrys about everything. I would think that the older you get, the less you worry - but not in her case. One of her favorite sayings is, "Nothing good happens after dark." I don't know why she says this. She used to tell me this alot during college because I would always tell her about going out with friends. To me, alot of good things happen after dark, like Christmas caroling. I always ask her when I talk to her what's something new she's worrying about and she always has something new she's losing sleep over.


In the aspect of worrying, my grandmother and I differ very much. I don't really worry over things, or you will never get me to admit that I worry about things. I get concerned about things, but I just don't worry that much over them.


"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." Matthew 6:34.


"Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now." As Rob Bell would say, "be fully present" wherever you are. This seems like such a foriegn concept soemtimes. There are those that live in the past. There are those that fret over the future. But Jesus says, "Slow down. Pay attention to the now. Don't get worked up over tomorrow or even yesterday. Live in what God is doing today."


I don't think that Jesus was saying that planning for the future is bad. There's nothing wrong with that. But I know the future is ultimately out of my hands and in His. So why should I worry over something that He has taken care of?


Last night we were talking in class about how death can be a motivator to act upon something. Whether it's reconciling a broken relationship, doing something you've always wanted to do, or asking that person out that has recently grabbed your attention; the idea that death could happen at any moment is a motivator to act on these things. This ties into the idea of living in the present- fully living in the present and taking advantage of every breathe you have been given- because we really never know how much longer we will have.

I know this all sounds cliche. "Live everyday to the fullest." But sometimes cliche things are true.


It seems that this whole idea of living for today is important to Jesus. I know for myself, sometimes I get too caught up in things I could've done or what I should've said. Sometimes, even though it's not that often, I get too troubled by what may happen or could take place tomorrow.

But the past is in the past. Learn from it, apologize about it, and move on.

The future is in the future. Plan for it, but realize it's ultimately out of your hands.

Today is today. The moment that God has given us right now is the moment we can use for Him. Today is when we can show others love. Today is when we can love our enemies. Today is when we can become closer to Him.