Today was a good day. I felt good when I woke up, and had the energy to spend the day like any old Saturday. I cooked, I cleaned, I payed the bills. My dad was here to help with some house projects, and we went to the farmers’ market. Just before he left, we put the finishing touches on the outdoor light display at my house, which you see just above. My dad made the small multi-colored trees out of tomato cages and twinkle lights. (He’s a genius!) This evening, a friend came to share a bowl of soup with me, and now that it’s dark and I’m feeling like hibernating, I’m going to snuggle under a blanket and either watch a movie or read. It was a good day.
At some point in the middle of this good day, I commented that I hope I have a bunch a good days. It would be a relief, actually, to have several good days in a row. But then I realized that in the wanting, I was losing a little of the gloriousness of this good day. I can be content with today; I can wait for what tomorrow will bring. And for both, there will be grace from Jesus to walk in it.
This is one of my difficulties in celebrating Advent each year, all the looking ahead. It makes me forget about the importance of today, of living well in this moment. Peter understood the temptation, and in one of his letters, he says we need to let the anticipation of the future change the way we live today. Go ahead and look forward to what’s ahead, and then go ahead and be faithful right now.
“So, my dear friends, since this is what you have to look forward to, do your very best to be found living at your best, in purity and peace.” – 2 Peter 3:14 (The Message)
Later, he calls this “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Today, when everything was going well and I was looking forward to a bunch of good days, I hope I grew in grace. And tomorrow, when things may not look so rosy, I hope I will still look forward and grow.
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Amen.
Sandra
Yup! There is great gain in godliness with contentment. (1 Tim. 6:6)
Aah, night pictures. The colors stand out so strong, and the snow is ultra white… Sa-weeet!
Oh, yes. Waiting in joy. Even while looking forward. This is a worthy pursuit!
Glad to see you up and at em. I hope many more good days come. I know what Paul said, but I anticipate good days and ask god for them for my friends.
take care.
Your Christmas lights are beautiful! A wonderful way to remember what God did for us…His children who he cares for deeply. God loves you and your heart, Charity. Keep pressing on, sister.
hey cutie patootie!
what an awesome good day!
and your dad is very creative.
i like good days too. ah, they are so wonderful. 🙂
i pray that we all will continue to look forward and grow in Christ.
The tension of living in hope and yearning and desire/expectation and yet living today content…it reminds me of Jan Meyer’s book “The Allure of Hope”. Your home looks so happy and cheery and welcoming! Love it!
Charity,
Thanks so much for this posting. It is so important that we live in each day, yes in accord with what God has done and will do- according to his promise to us in Christ Jesus. But in that really living in this- here and now. Not always easy, and for me I have portions of each day, usually, that are challenging and usually hard.
So glad you’ve had a good day! And what nice lights.