A Reminder

I overheard a woman today, telling of her recent visit to South Africa. She shared that one of the biggest differences between here and there is that the people of South Africa live in the present. They rarely talk about tomorrow or next month or how next year they need to do this or that. She went on to say they commented on the flowers, they recognized the world around them. They appreciate today for all that it offers them, instead of anxiously stressing over tomorrow. This got me thinking about my own life. Where am I living? Is my mind already onto next summer, week or fall or am I enjoying what God has given me today? While making plans and preparing for the future is one of favorite things to do, I do not want my today to go by unnoticed. I want to allow myself to hear the sounds around me, notice the weather outside, and feel the joy of my newlywed days. In the blink of an eye, this season I am in now will vanish; what if I never stop to capture it? I want to take a lesson from the South Africans and be available for the present. The verse in Matthew 6:34 perfectly reminds me of this truth as well. “"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” I urge you to slow down, calm down and wind down. Today is the place that God has us, so let’s embrace what He has for us right here, right now and experience His gifts.