Monday I ventured off to the land of Nod under a dark cloud. It had been a tough day---which it should not have been.
Monday is my day off. It is a day filled with purposeful delightful meandering. This is a day to change the pace, relax, and enjoy time with Shannan.
Monday started that way, but then my purposeful delightful meandering self decided to climb under my car to install a performance upgrade. Gearheads appreciate the Navy Seal slogan, "The only easy day was yesterday." We get that! When it comes to cars "It's always something." My something was a bolt obviously engineered by a guy with a bad attitude. This was "the bolt from hell" and it took all the fruit of the Spirit to excise it without loosing my cool.
When I resurfaced from my plunge into the automotive abyss twelve hours later I was greasy, grimy, and the upgrade still was not complete. That was tough, but then I got the email. It was an email with enough bad news for a week of sleepless nights. That email was the prelude to a leadership gaff that had me eating humble pie for supper.
I went to bed that night tired, sore, and oh-so glad to hit the pillow.
When I peeked my head out of the covers early Tuesday morning, the skies in my soul were as dark as the predawn morning. I had a "To Do" list the size of a phone directory. Most tasks were flagged with a priority level on par with open heart surgery. So I skipped my morning walk, got to the office and got busy.
I was in a definite go mode when God graciously stopped me. He pulled up the shade on my brooding heart and let the light of His truth chase away the shadows. The voice was not audible, but the "whisper" was unmistakable.
Tommy, yesterday is over. You don't get it back. I haven't promised you tomorrow, but I have given you today. Enjoy today.
And then it hit me. Today is the best day of my life.
You see, I can wear yesterday's frustrations like a bad stain . . . or I can pin my hopes on some far-off day circled on my calendar . . . or I can live today in the grace of our God whose faithfulness is new every morning.
Today is the best day of my life! It is the best day of your life too.
"This is the day that the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24 ESV