Presents and Presence

Living One Day at a Time

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” Matthew 6:34 NIV

“One day at a time sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday’s gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time.”  Kris Kristofferson

My grandmother made and embroidered dish towels with the days of the week on them. Did you have a grandma that did this? Washing day, grocery day, cleaning day etc. were meticulously embroidered and displayed on these generous dish towels. When I was blessed to have dinner, Thanksgiving or any event with my grams, I would dry the dishes with her with some marvelous and instructive conversations. She was present. In the moment. Attentive. And true to her dishtowels. She would commit one day to cleaning, laundry, shopping and so forth. How we need to do this for ourselves!

It’s easy to dwell on the past and imagine the future. Spilt milk is what my grams called it when I would be nursing a past hurt or mistake. A reassuring hug with, “What shall we do today?”

As adults, we may have horrific images of the past and the future, I know those like my grandma lived through the depression and WWII did. Some memories are soul-crushing, especially during the holidays when the music, decorations, good will and feelings are everywhere. But the past is gone and the future isn’t here. The traumas hurt but they don’t have the power to ruin my today.

But we can only live today. The hurts are there. The wounds are there. Hope for the future is there. Pain and joy go hand in hand. But today is all we really have. We need to be present for our families, colleagues, church members, ourselves and God. You’ve heard the adage: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” ― Bill Keane, Family Circus cartoonist. Our history can instruct us but living presently is what God wants. It’s how to eliminate fear and help us to be present. A gift.

Musings

God designed us to handle just today for so many reasons. And he’s promised to be in our today. He’s also the only one that has been in our past and is in our future He uses it for good. Living one day at a time eases the pressure and helps us to be present for ourselves and others on the Journey home. Today is the foundation for the future.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for this day. Thank you for each day. Thank you that you went before us and made provision for us. Thank you for the mystery of the future. Thank you for being in our past and for bringing  us through. Thank you, even though we don’t understand, that our past wounds are our ministry today. May it glorify you.

Amen