Wednesday Wisdom

I found this picture online while researching blog post ideas and it kinda stuck with me - how true it is...even with the Wednesday jokes about halfway there - hump day - two more days 'til the weekend, etc...don't wish your life away, it goes by all too fast all by itself!

A friend of mine lost her dad this week after a short stay in the hospital following open heart surgery.  Her family had prayed, stood by his bedside and hoped for the best.  But that was not God's plan.  Now they are left with memories of a father, husband, granddad and a to do list for the funeral arrangements that makes your head spin.  Once the funeral is over, it's easy to go back and say "I wish I had spent one more day with him" or "I wish I could tell him one more time I love him". 

We live in such a busy world today, with smartphones, laptops in our pocketbooks and WiFi signals throughout our daily lives - to keep us plugged in - so we "don't miss anything important".  But I wonder how connected we are with the ones who really mean the most to us.   Do you always "want" to go visit that grandparent, parent, sibling or other family member?  Not necessarily.  Is it more tempting to stream a video, play a game or scroll Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat...or whatever the latest app is, every time we are present with family?  Absolutely.  I'm guilty of it too.

Today does only come once.  We have 24 hours to sleep, eat, go to work, care for our kids, grocery shop, attend family events and whatever else your calendar demands.  What if we all made it a goal to make a phone call - yes, pick up the dang phone and call, not text - to someone we love today.  If you found out tomorrow that they were gone, you would think differently about taking the time to hear their voice one more time.  Just ask a parent who has lost a child, a spouse who has lost the love of their life, a child who has lost their momma or daddy - those moments are precious and can't be retrieved.  I promise you from first hand experience.

Take time today to encourage someone.  A co-worker, a family member, the checkout lady at Target.  Smile, make eye contact - get your nose out of your smartphone and embrace the world around you.  Send a note, even if it's a text or Facebook message, just telling someone you were thinking about them and thanking them for being in your life.  It makes a difference, and you can't get today back, and we aren't promised tomorrow.  You'll be glad you took the time to connect with loved ones, friends and those in your little world...maybe not today, maybe not even tomorrow, but before your days on this earth are done - that chat, visit, card or conversation will mean so much to you - and there is no app for that.

Stephanie