But now it's monday morning, and the house needs a LOT of cleaning up after the Easter lunch celebration. I'm bemoaning my clutter challenges again. School resumed for my older two children at home--always a tough transition after spring break. My oldest daughter, who was here for the weekend, returned to her job out of town (so I miss her and my son who's in college. It makes me sad that my children are growing up. Sigh again) The laundry has once again piled up. The to-do list looms large and intimidating. My husband is out of town so it's single-parenting time. Blah Blah Blah. Truly, I look at that list and realize this is absolutely nothing to deal with, but I guess it's just easy to have a let down after the celebration of yesterday... especially on a monday.
Well, I should say that would have been my reaction this morning, save a prayer from my sweet 4th grade son last night before bed. He attends a different school from my older children, so he still has a holiday today. While I was thinking, "O boy, now I can't get a whole lot done tomorrow" (shame shame shame on me for my sinful attitude), here is what he was thinking: "Mom, I can't wait for tomorrow. We are going to have such a great day!" He had a long list of things he wanted to do--chick-fil-a for breakfast (because, well, that's how every perfect day starts out in his book), buy tomato plants and flowers of some unspecified kind, plant said tomato plants (which, of course, we will kill slowly over the next couple of months--just as we always do. But hope springs eternal), plants said flowers as well, maybe, hopefully, meet his aunt for lunch somewhere, go to Rita's and use his groupon for ice cream and on and on. I didn't notice a lot of "finish homework, read my book, clean up my room" on his list. hmm. We would clearly be busy beavers.
Then, last night, right before bed and anticipating the apparently spectacular day ahead, he added at the end of his prayer, "Lord, thank You for tomorrow. Please make tomorrow very very long."
I came downstairs and whispered a prayer of repentance and thanksgiving. Forgive my selfish, preoccupied mindset, Lord, and for failing to remember that every day is a gift, and every moment You give us to spend with those we love is a glorious gift-wrapped present never to repeated. And thank You for the treasure of those precious people in our lives who give our days busyness and work... but also meaning and purpose and joy. Thank You for the opportunity to love and to serve.
And thanksgiving for Easter, and the reminder once again that You make all things new. New life, new forgiveness, new power, new joy, new days. How can we struggle with a monday when You, our Redeemer, our Savior, our King of Kings, are in this monday with us? A risen Lord with us, in us, empowering us, enabling us, directing us. We have the gift of a new day and the gift of a gracious Savior. So with Paul, we "press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind, and straining towards what is ahead . I press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14) Sure we may have messed up yesterday or last week or last year, but that is done and gone. The past is over, the present is a gift, and it's time to live it, totally live it, by His grace, to His glory, and in His joy.
So this Monday, might we preach ourselves a little sermon that "This is the day that the Lord has made; we will REJOICE and be GLAD in it." (Ps. 118:24) Lord, help this to be a long, long Monday--every never-to-be-enjoyed-again second of it--as we live fully and freely and faithfully, loving You and others. To the Risen One who makes all things, and all days, new, be all the glory.
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