Jump Start # 3924
Matthew 6:24 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
THROWBACK THURSDAY: An article written from long ago
What a Day!
I awoke this morning to the sounds of nature. It was not the gentle breeze blowing through the tree branches, nor was it the sweet music of song birds. No, what I heard was nature’s other song. It was the sound of my cat throwing up in my bedroom. WHAT A DAY, I THOUGHT!
Before the hour had passed and the mess barely cleaned up, my three-year old informed me that he had wet his bed. WHAT A DAY! WHAT A DAY!
Down at the office, I received a phone call from a person needing financial help. He was from Illinois and was wanting to get to California. When I asked him what he was doing in Indiana, he proceeded to instruct me on how unchristian I was and how that I had never read the Bible. He then slammed the phone down. WHAT A DAY!
During supper, my five year-old made the announcement that I had been traded in and she was going to go live with Bill Cosby. She grew mad when she realized that she couldn’t really do that. WHAT A DAY!
That night I thought, is this the way it is supposed to be? I have heard, according to the books, that everyone lives happily ever after. James Dobson, the popular writer on the home, never seems to have a bad day.
This day did teach me some things:
First, you can’t control others. No matter how organized and planned and groomed your day begins, if it involves others, something will happen. You can only control your spirit and your attitude. You may be on time, but they may be late. You may be ready, but they may not be. You may be happy, but they may be sad.
Since that is the way it is, I must learn patience (2 Pet 1:6) and self-control, or temperance. These two virtues are essential in my everyday life. Patience will help me deal with others. Temperance will help me deal with myself.
Second, I also learned that it is not wrong to have a bad day. Somewhere we’ve picked up the idea that every moment of everyday must be viewed with joy and excitement. We’ve been told that one ought to leap out of bed every day and bounce merrily through the whole day; and if you don’t, something is wrong with you. Well that is simply not the way life is.
Our Lord experienced anger, sorrow and disappointment. We will, as well. There will be some days that are better than others, yet no day is so bad that we can not pray to God. No event is so terrible that we have no room for God in our hearts. Those who were weary and heavy laden were beckoned to come to Jesus to find rest.
Time also helps us see how important/unimportant things are. The cat doesn’t throw up anymore. The three-year-old no longer wets his bed. The five-year-old no longer wants Cosby for a dad. She now wants to trade her mom in.
Good days need to be remembered and praised. Days that are not so good will have value and lessons if we will open our eyes and look.
WHAT A DAY!
Roger
November, 1990