I know every day when I awake still here, God’s given me a precious gift of 24 more hours of living.
That’s not something I take for granted. Humanly speaking, I’d have been dead since May of 1997. My son and daughters would have been minus a dad all this time. My wife would have been widowed and alone for almost 21 years.
When I was actively dying, God chose to step in and alter my history’s course. Life for me has never again been the same. I’d like to tell you I’ve always used every spare moment as wisely, and as much for God’s glory and use, as I could. I’d like to tell you that, but I’ve wasted my share of my life’s precious moments. Wasn’t intentional, no. And I always have tried to shape up the minute I realized it.
I’m not talking about having fun, taking time off to recreate and restore body, mind and spirit. That is one of life’s essentials I practiced way too little prior to almost dying. That might have even contributed to it. If you know me at this point in my life, you know I am now enjoying my leisure much more.
I’m talking about a mental outline for how I’d like the day to progress, if it’s left up to me. I was up at 3:30 this morning, which is normal for me. Lying in bed doesn’t work, for my mind is already out there on the trail, taking point and wondering what’s taking the rest of me so long. As a writer, morning is my most productive time, so I plan my day accordingly.
You are every bit the beneficiary of God’s similar blessing.
Sedentary I’m not. My basic daily design is have a modest workout; shave & shower while coffee’s brewing; prepare and consume a hearty protein-rich breakfast; go through the day’s mail & respond to communications; block 4-5 hours for writing, the actual time depending on whether the weather allows a brisk 2-mile walk. Later in the day when my strength wanes, I tend to household chores, both inside and out, since they require no real mental focus. And when my creative juices overwhelm my physical blender, I often take the ’96 SVT Shelby Snake convertible out for a mind-blowing, head-clearing ride.
So, yeah. Every day I’ve lived since then is a day I’ve considered a direct gift from God to me – and I celebrate every one of them as such. I recently read the phrase, “designing the day”, and it resonated in my spirit as a proactive, positive approach to each day’s living.
The point here is that you are every bit the beneficiary of God’s similar blessing. Every day you live is a gift from God to you.
- You cannot control everything that occurs to or around you today.
- You cannot control what others do, think, or say.
- You are in total control of your attitude.
- You are completely in command on the bridge of your soul.
- How today shakes down when you lay your head on your pillow tonight is completely in your grasp.
Yes. We’ve all heard PMA hoo-ha before. I’m not trying to sell you anything other than your own ability to direct the day’s events and how you’ll respond to them. I have my share of physical challenges, just as you do. Rather than whine about them, I’d rather own them, work to the best of my ability and strength within those parameters, and with God’s help accomplish something I wouldn’t have otherwise seen happen.
You can do what you want today, and I’ll go right on loving you; we’ll still be friends. You don’t have to feel obligated in any way, because this isn’t intended to be oppressive or overplanned. That’s nuts. That’s exchanging one cell for another. I’m just sayin’ that I choose to frontload my day; to have a plan of action in mind, a rough flowchart of what I’d like to have accomplished when the sun sets here in Kansas. Syncing that with God’s limitless ability and faithfulness seems to me to be the ultimate win-win.
I’d rather design my day than just be drug around by it.
I’m suggesting it to you. Give it a try. See how you feel when the sun sets wherever you live.
© D. Dean Boone, March 2018