It's funny but one can learn a lot when life hangs by a thread for a long time. It's not that I feel wise that I write these things, I'm not, but I've learned but a fraction of what I really need to know. Dying gives one a different perspective and dog paddling on the edge of life and death brings even more perspective. It gives one the time to look at one's own life and events. Time to reflect back. Time to pray. Time to analyze what went through life, how they went through life, and what defining moments occurred. Mostly time to know that there is so much we don't look at for what it is and that we don't know more than we need to know about anything. Once though we are forced to be still and no longer think about tomorrow, we see clearly events that are today. Even when we are surrounded by family and friends that would help us in any way, they can't save us. We can connect to God, not become God, but rather connect to Him on a different level. We learn to stop, stand back, take whatever breath is left in us, and watch the our world from a different perspective. So I share what I feel.
I can see maybe for the first time things and events clearer. Though I'd love to say, Don't try this at home folks. From the moment we all take our first breath to the moment we all take our last breath, there can be life. But we have to choose it. There can be the sibilance of life or there can be real life. One of the most quoted in the Bible by nonreligious and seldom quoted fully in the Bible by religious people is when Jesus talks about yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It confused me as well up until lately. He isn't saying don't work but rather not to get lost in your physical work. I spent most of my life working for UPS where we were told we were family, and I fell for it. I go through Walmart where I hear employees say they are a family. That happens at most of the large corporations. Families always have parents, elder members, siblings, and children. There is always a head of a family and that head of the family should care more about their family than they do themselves. I can tell you from experience that is not the case with a large corporation and never has been. We assume that in Jesus' day corporations didn't exist. Work is good and honorable and we may work with some great people, but I think He is telling us not to get lost in work. Not to make work our family nor our life. The same would apply to churches as well. We have a family that we are born unto that should be with us no matter what should happen to us, and a Father that presides over that family who has our well being first.
Then we come to the tense thing. We need to remember Yesterday, yet forget it all at the same time. The things that happen yesterday need to be learned so we don't repeat the bad ones and maybe can repeat the good ones, but yesterday is for all intense purposes gone. There is not a human being on earth who can change yesterday and God sees fit not too, so let it go. We can do better in an attempt to not repeat it. We can be watchful for the same signs if it was good or bad to hope it does or doesn't happen again. But we are powerless to hit the reset button and do it again. Movies like Groundhog Day were made and reset buttons are hit in the dream of doing it until we get it right. But that is a fantasy. So take what things that are good, leave what things that are bad, but remember what details led to both, just don't dwell on them. Wipe the slate clean then, especially if the error was someone other than you and pray they do you the same. You can try and make amends and allow others to do the same, but you can't undo what is done and neither can they. It's over. History. Move On.
Then there is Tomorrow. Oh how we love tomorrow. Songs have been written about tomorrow. Procrastinators will get it done.... tomorrow. The word itself sounds great, but it is a fantasy, and the best thing about tomorrow is that it never comes. When tomorrow comes it is today. This is another thing taken way out of context. Fortunes are made on that one word, and people are indebted on that one word. Take it home today and pay tomorrow. Wall Street buys and sells futures, betting on tomorrow. I think when Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow one would have to see what the times were like back then and who and where He said it to and at. Many things can be taken out of context. As a society we seem to plan for tomorrow, so much that we forget to live today. At one time people would actually prepare for tomorrow, should it come, and we'd see debt free people by their middle ages or at least the old age. We'll call that senior years to be politically correct, same thing though. But we see people in debt in their middle and late years of life even though they have supposedly planned for tomorrow, something is wrong. Life goes by and tomorrow never comes that they forgot to live today as if it were their last day. Those of us who have seen days and nights that never seem to end, expecting that last breath, will attest to live life today. Those of us who have seen the end say live it well. Planning for tomorrow isn't a bad thing, it's when you live for tomorrow and forget to live today that is bad.
So we come to Today. Today is the most important and only day one should worry about. This minute, this second, right now, for the next second is tomorrow and it may never come. Lives are wasted and lives and lived in today, for none other exists in reality. Today is so important that “Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” George Orwell. It looks to be pretty important. A life worth living and a life lived well is a life lived in today. I've seen people die and not one that I have seen that lived today died poorly. I've felt myself die and if I could have watched myself take a last breath back then, I would have died poorly. I do not intend on dying poorly the next round, believe me, you don't want to die that way. Today has plenty of troubles and blessings on it's on without borrowing from yesterday or tomorrow, neither of which exist. Today is the only day we have, this minute, the second, this breath. So what did you do with yours? Did you make war or peace, spread gloom or hope, hate or love, kindness or sadness? Did you tell your loved ones you love them? Did you say I'm sorry when you mistake? Did you address the thing that needed addressed? Did you take time to listen, time to share? If you did then you will have lived a life worth living. And if you use today to right the wrongs you can, make amends, make sure your family and friends know you appreciate and love them and do your work... then you are living.
So this I write to myself as much as to whoever reads it. I've seen life come and I've seen it go, but even then I need reminded. So, what are you doing sitting here reading this. Make hay while the sun is shinning. Live well and live today. Leave yesterday behind. Give God tomorrow.
I can see maybe for the first time things and events clearer. Though I'd love to say, Don't try this at home folks. From the moment we all take our first breath to the moment we all take our last breath, there can be life. But we have to choose it. There can be the sibilance of life or there can be real life. One of the most quoted in the Bible by nonreligious and seldom quoted fully in the Bible by religious people is when Jesus talks about yesterday, today, and tomorrow. It confused me as well up until lately. He isn't saying don't work but rather not to get lost in your physical work. I spent most of my life working for UPS where we were told we were family, and I fell for it. I go through Walmart where I hear employees say they are a family. That happens at most of the large corporations. Families always have parents, elder members, siblings, and children. There is always a head of a family and that head of the family should care more about their family than they do themselves. I can tell you from experience that is not the case with a large corporation and never has been. We assume that in Jesus' day corporations didn't exist. Work is good and honorable and we may work with some great people, but I think He is telling us not to get lost in work. Not to make work our family nor our life. The same would apply to churches as well. We have a family that we are born unto that should be with us no matter what should happen to us, and a Father that presides over that family who has our well being first.
Then we come to the tense thing. We need to remember Yesterday, yet forget it all at the same time. The things that happen yesterday need to be learned so we don't repeat the bad ones and maybe can repeat the good ones, but yesterday is for all intense purposes gone. There is not a human being on earth who can change yesterday and God sees fit not too, so let it go. We can do better in an attempt to not repeat it. We can be watchful for the same signs if it was good or bad to hope it does or doesn't happen again. But we are powerless to hit the reset button and do it again. Movies like Groundhog Day were made and reset buttons are hit in the dream of doing it until we get it right. But that is a fantasy. So take what things that are good, leave what things that are bad, but remember what details led to both, just don't dwell on them. Wipe the slate clean then, especially if the error was someone other than you and pray they do you the same. You can try and make amends and allow others to do the same, but you can't undo what is done and neither can they. It's over. History. Move On.
Then there is Tomorrow. Oh how we love tomorrow. Songs have been written about tomorrow. Procrastinators will get it done.... tomorrow. The word itself sounds great, but it is a fantasy, and the best thing about tomorrow is that it never comes. When tomorrow comes it is today. This is another thing taken way out of context. Fortunes are made on that one word, and people are indebted on that one word. Take it home today and pay tomorrow. Wall Street buys and sells futures, betting on tomorrow. I think when Jesus said not to worry about tomorrow one would have to see what the times were like back then and who and where He said it to and at. Many things can be taken out of context. As a society we seem to plan for tomorrow, so much that we forget to live today. At one time people would actually prepare for tomorrow, should it come, and we'd see debt free people by their middle ages or at least the old age. We'll call that senior years to be politically correct, same thing though. But we see people in debt in their middle and late years of life even though they have supposedly planned for tomorrow, something is wrong. Life goes by and tomorrow never comes that they forgot to live today as if it were their last day. Those of us who have seen days and nights that never seem to end, expecting that last breath, will attest to live life today. Those of us who have seen the end say live it well. Planning for tomorrow isn't a bad thing, it's when you live for tomorrow and forget to live today that is bad.
So we come to Today. Today is the most important and only day one should worry about. This minute, this second, right now, for the next second is tomorrow and it may never come. Lives are wasted and lives and lived in today, for none other exists in reality. Today is so important that “Those who control the present, control the past and those who control the past control the future.” George Orwell. It looks to be pretty important. A life worth living and a life lived well is a life lived in today. I've seen people die and not one that I have seen that lived today died poorly. I've felt myself die and if I could have watched myself take a last breath back then, I would have died poorly. I do not intend on dying poorly the next round, believe me, you don't want to die that way. Today has plenty of troubles and blessings on it's on without borrowing from yesterday or tomorrow, neither of which exist. Today is the only day we have, this minute, the second, this breath. So what did you do with yours? Did you make war or peace, spread gloom or hope, hate or love, kindness or sadness? Did you tell your loved ones you love them? Did you say I'm sorry when you mistake? Did you address the thing that needed addressed? Did you take time to listen, time to share? If you did then you will have lived a life worth living. And if you use today to right the wrongs you can, make amends, make sure your family and friends know you appreciate and love them and do your work... then you are living.
So this I write to myself as much as to whoever reads it. I've seen life come and I've seen it go, but even then I need reminded. So, what are you doing sitting here reading this. Make hay while the sun is shinning. Live well and live today. Leave yesterday behind. Give God tomorrow.
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