The Proper Amount of Days to Live at a Time
Lovies, they call them, and I think one of them is named Frank, the duck. She can hold seven of them at one time, even though her little arms are only one year old.
Mom and I sit quietly in the bedroom. Somehow she finds a way to tuck in her 45-year-old daughter –grabbing the covers and pulling them up over me just like when I was seven and used to talk at her until the very second she closed the door for the night.
We look at dad’s antacids by the bed and laugh hard at a pair of threadbare long johns she pulls from the drawer. Dad just kept stitching them back together, but it seemed there were more stitches than johns.
And we wonder together how she is going to live through summer chores and hunting season and Christmas without him.
We find ourselves pulling the future into our arms like Miss Emma insists on carrying her lovies.
Too much for such small arms.
Mom, we’re going to have to discipline ourselves to only live one day at a time. Wake up. Do the work of this one day in front of us. Seek God in it.Â
Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength. –Corrie Ten Boom
I have to tell myself the same advice I give my mom –only carry today’s wedding chores, today’s three hours of teaching, today’s grief.
So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  (Matthew 6:34 NASB)
What future burden do you need to stop trying to carry?
Is possible to “enjoy” these type of heartbreaking posts,…? I’m not sure that’s the proper words…. but your words bring such comfort and encouragement….your willingness to share such intimate thoughts and feelings with your readers is magnanimous…. Thank you. We are preparing for a great loss in our family, our patriarch….. And I hope to handle it with the grace and openness you have exhibited…. Sending hugs from SC….
Dear South Carolina, I’m so sorry to hear about your grief. I pray God will bolster your faith in these days and comfort your aching hearts. Let me know how things are going for you, please.
Beautiful reminder….do the work of this ONE day in front of us…and best of all, Seek God in it. Thank you Christy. Isn’t it just so like God, that as you are in a hard season and thinking you are weakened by it, that He uses your words to strengthen others? I hope you find joy in that.
Well, you have brought me joy with this encouragement. Thank you, Mary.