Today Is The Day

There is no time like the present!  Today is the day!  It is for me anyway.

 Yesterday was a whole different story!  Yesterday was a day that held many emotions for me.  It started as any other day does...busy as soon as my feet hit the floor.  (As everyone's days are) I received a call and learned of the passing of a lifelong friend who was like another mother to me when I was young.  I then jumped into the "wonderful world" of social media in between patients and my new feed was full of people griping about others being thankful, "only in November", people who had been hurt expressing their concerns to the world of social media, people asking for prayer because of the dreaded "c" word, and in between the cracks of yuck...I would find some encouragement or scripture.  Satan then had his way with me as my mind went into a tail spin of why? why? why? Why bother? Why even try?  Your past has guided you down this "love from a distance and you will be safe" kind of thinking. 

Loving God and loving others as Jesus did is a major theme throughout the Bible.  Loving others is hard!  We can say we love others and even genuinely be concerned, but are your actions showing it?  Do they know it?  What little things that take very little time are you doing for them? I did not inherit the thoughtfulness gene that involves simple thank you notes when I receive gifts, remembering the importance and following through with RSVPs, sending cards, messages, texts, etc when someone is sick or in the hospital, sending notes when you haven't seen someone in a while and asking- Hey! How are things?  All of these seem like second nature to so many people.  IT IS NOT TO ME.  But guess what, I am STILL a Christian.  I am still HUMAN.  You've seen the bumper stickers right?  Christians aren't perfect ...just forgiven.  People that hold positions in whatever arena you may be in, are humans and will fall short- they will at some point in time not meet the expectations you had for them.  Why do we tend to hold standards for people, no matter what their title, at a height that we ourselves wouldn't want to be held to?  Would we want their role?  Are we aware of what all their role involves and what may be going on in their personal life?

 If someone has hurt you...I challenge you not to do as I did yesterday and have yourself a pity party.  I challenge you to ask yourself these questions.  What are YOU doing to serve others? Where can YOU get involved?  There are many, many things that need to be done in the body of Christ and very few that get involved. 20% doing 80% of the work.  People grow weary, get tired, and need help!  There is a job for you!  Jesus came to serve, not be served.  Don't merely be a consumer!  Jump in- there's lots to be done, trust me!  Today I will choose to take the lessons I have learned and move forward and begin to be intentional about thoughtfulness and loving on others. I invite you to take your eyes off of yourself and direct them towards God and serving others.  Let's see where that takes us.
 Honestly, I am thankful for the eye opening experience I had.  We learn through our mistakes, right?

My day ended on a happy note...I went to visit my friend who had lost her mother and we laughed and reminisced about our crazy childhood and asked ourselves...how in the world did we survive?  I was able to see a man who still smiles and laughs knowing confidently that his love was ready to leave this world and meet her Maker.  What a blessed day!  My pity party has turned to joyous singing...just ask my family about my morning run on the treadmill- I sang it out, cried it out, praised it out!

Today is the day, let's go!

Leah