by Sis. Frances DeLoach
When I was asked to write a segment on ‘Words to live by’, my mind went ‘wow’. I have never been asked to write on very much and while I felt honored that I was asked, but I was also a little scared. I’ve never written anything where I knew it would be given any attention. I wrote a poem once and it was actually published, but at this particular time, I’ve been asked, which seems to have a different light on it.
Anyway, ‘words to live by’ in itself is a beautiful topic and the best words I can offer are Live Every Day Like It’s Your Last…
Too often, we take our lives for granted. We figure we have make-ups for tomorrow. Today didn’t go well so we can try again tomorrow. It’s okay, I’ll get it right tomorrow so today is a ‘given’, so to speak.
We never stop to consider ‘suppose we don’t make it to tomorrow’!
Well, what did we do today?
1) Did I remember to say my prayers this morning?
2) Did I kiss my children, spouse, mom, dad?
3) Did I bother to clean my room like I should?
4) Did I act as nicely as I should have toward that person that shoved me out of their way to catch their train?
5) Did I speak a word of kindness to the griping co-worker who always say that she is having a ‘bad day’?
6) Did I do a good job of being the good Christian woman today?
If we lived every day as if it were our last, there are so many MORE things we wouldn’t have to ask ourselves, “did I do this or that right,” but instead we will remember that “I WANT to do this or that righteously before I leave this World.” It’s easy to live everyday BELIEVING we’re going to see tomorrow-so we think-but knowing that we’re NOT going to see tomorrow is a bigger challenge. If uou want to make it into heaven you’re going to try to put forth that extra effort to do and live better. You’re going to take an extra second to listen, to ask, to talk, to do whatever it takes to make every moment or this day to be a success in some way. If it’s just to make someone smile, you’ll take the extra effort, especially if you don’t think you’re going to have another chance. I used to think that it was impossible to act as if today was my last day and it seemed better believing that you’re promised tomorrow.
So to keep this from getting too long, I’m going to end this. When you get a chance sit down and really think about ‘what do I want to do to give someone a better day before I stop living?’. The BEST answer you can give is ‘I want to be more like Jesus’. But the realest answer you can give is __________.
Go ahead, LIVE TODAY AS IF IT WAS YOUR LAST, and then if you get it right, you’ll love yourself tomorrow and you can fill in the blank.