No guarantee here

Never brag about what you will do in the future; you have no idea what tomorrow will bring. (Proverbs 27:1 ERV)

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." (Melody Beattie) 

None of us is ever guaranteed a "tomorrow" - we all have today and can do the best with today as is possible. We allow all kinds of things keep us from enjoying our "today" - including the issues of our past or the constant focus on what it is we might accomplish tomorrow. I am no different, here, for there are times when I get so "future focused" so as to miss what is right in front of me. The sad truth is that there is absolutely no guarantee there will even be that "tomorrow" I spent so much time planning for! What a shame to miss out on so much because we are not able to see what is right in front of us!

For many, their lives were changed the day the towers came down in New York. Others would never be the same because of some school shooting, rampage in some mall, or being at a concert enjoying some time with friends. None of these people woke up one morning and expected their end, or their maiming. No soldier sent off to war expects to return with body parts missing from some explosive device cleverly put in his or her path. These are not things we "plan for" in life, but they come our way, often without any real purpose or warning. The best we can do is let go of the past, focus on today with all the effort we can dedicate to it, and be cognizant of the steps we should take to be as ready as possible for tomorrow.

Today is our challenge. Yesterday may have left us with a bit of guilt over what wasn't accomplished, or how some encounter didn't go as we planned. Today is where we can start afresh with whatever it is we need to take care of in order to be rid of guilt, restored in right relationship with God and each other, and to be living with intent (purpose). We must learn to be people who make "today" our focal point and then invest wisely in the opportunities that today may afford us. They could be opportunities for relationship - those that will be discovered, made right, or set aglow in a freshness that comes from just being together and focused on each other. They could be opportunities to learn something new, or remember something learned long ago, then pass that learning onto another.

Today is what we can make the best use of, isn't it? Tomorrow may involve a little planning, but to be hyper-focused on tomorrow while losing sight of today is to be a little too tunnel-visioned. Just sayin!