22 years ago today, my Mom passed away.   Yesterday at home alone, I decided to take up my son Josh’s favorite pastime, listening to his Itunes collection on the family computer.  The first song that came on was Michael Jackson‘s “Gone too soon”.  Believe it or not, I had a spiritual moment right in the middle of the kitchen.  Waves of emotion flooded my soul as I reminisced about the lady who taught me to honor God and to love people.  I wondered, “What my life would be like if my sweet Mother were still alive?”

As the lyrics of the song continued, “Like a loss of sunlight on a cloudy afternoon, gone too soon.  Like a castle built upon a sandy beach, gone too soon.  Here one day, gone one night.  Like a sunset, dying with the rising of the moon, gone too soon”.  It occurred to me that the message of the song,  “Gone too soon” depends on one’s perspective.  You see, if we live life to the fullest, not begrudging our past or afraid of the future, when our time comes, it won’t be too soon.   I guarantee you,  Mom doesn’t want to come back.  She’s spending eternity where we all hope to be someday.  “Gone too soon”?  From a selfish perspective, yes.  From her’s….absolutely not!  Why?  Because she made the most of every moment.  She engaged the “NOW”!  Each day of life was a chance to love God and serve people!  Every setback was just another opportunity for a comeback!

-Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.  (Psalm 90:12)

-Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.  (Ecclesiastes 9:10)

-I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.  (John 10:10)

Our day is coming.  Each of us will face eternity sooner or later.  But until that day,  we must live in the “NOW“!   Be in the moment!  In the words of Tim Mcgraw, “Live like you were dying”.  Because guess what?  We all are!  Don’t waste another second regretting your past.  You can learn from it, but you don’t have to live in it.  Plan wisely for the future, but don’t be consumed or worried about it.  Remember, yesterday’s history, tomorrow’s a mystery, but today is a gift.  That’s why we call it “the present”.

Better days are definitely ahead!  However, your greatest day is today!  Enjoy it.  Celebrate it!  Give love like you’ve never given it before.  Speak words of life to everyone you encounter.  Forgive those who’ve done you wrong.  Don’t hold back, be your best!  It’s who God made you to be!

In the NOW,

Joe