Pastor's Pen - August 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

By the time you read this article the local county fairs will be over or nearly so. This for many is a sure sign of the end of summer. To aggravate that feeling will be the beginning of school sales and the practices for fall sports and the varied preparations for the start of another fall schedule. The lament that is regularly heard is "where has the time gone?" This comes from both young and old alike as the summer days hurry on their way.

The Gospel according to Matthew records words of Jesus that encourage us to not be caught up in the worries about tomorrow or what will come. Rather Jesus says that today will have enough for today and that day should be the focus of our attention. It must be said that Jesus lived in a different time and culture. Thus to live for today was really all that there was with the short life span that was common to most people of his day. There was no need to be concerned about 20 plus years of retirement living and of adequate resources to have a quality of life in one's last years. As a result how do we hear Jesus words in our world and lives today?

Jesus' words recognize how in any time and place people can become so caught up with what might or might not be tomorrow or the next day that they miss the opportunities to live in and enjoy fully today. A recent movie was based upon the premise that people should make lists of things they wish to do before they die and then make an effort to actually do them. The characters in the movie had rather dramatic things to do and the resources to do them. For most it is not a matter of doing something so daring but rather to simply do each day what we would be doing if it were our last. The encouragement here is to know that each and every day is special for a child of God. Any day may be one's last and rather than to live with regret we are to live fully in relationship to others as well as to God. Each day is a day to be treasured. Each day is a day to be used with joy. Each day is a day to share love and appreciation and thanksgiving for the gifts with which our lives are showered.

To live such is to never bemoan the passage of one day or week or month as a loss but rather to rejoice in opportunities shared and life lived fully and completely as a child of God. Enjoy today and every day as the gift that it is.