“I do not mean to make an idol of health, but it does seem to me that at least some of us have made an idol of exhaustion. The only time we know we have done enough is when we are running on empty and when the ones we love most are the ones we see the least. When we lie down to sleep at night, we offer our full appointment calendars to God in lieu of prayer, believing that God–who is as busy as we are–will surely understand.”
–Barbara Brown Taylor

My wife and I recently went on vacation, and as is our habit we brought along a camera and several rolls of film. Upon our return my wife began proudly showing off our latest set of vacation photos, and then each day she’d relate her coworkers’ reactions to me. After a few days of this I noticed a recurring theme in her friends’ reactions. Invariably, people would say, “Wow, your husband must have a really nice camera!”

Even though people liked my photos, I was disappointed. I wanted them to acknowledge what a good photographer I am, not what a good camera I have.

After a week of this I ranted to my wife: “Why do people do this? Nobody looks at a painting and says, ‘Nice brushes!’ Nobody looks at a skyscraper and says, ‘Nice drafting table!’ Nobody looks at a sculpture and says, ‘Nice chisel!’ What’s wrong with these people?”

It felt good to get that off my chest. Until my wife reminded me, “So, how often do you look at creation and say, ‘Nice work, God’?”

There are two days in every week that we should not worry about. Two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension.

One is YESTERDAY, with its mistakes and cares, its faults, and blunders, its aches and pains. Yesterday has passed, forever beyond our control.

All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot
undo a single act we performed. Nor can we erase a single word we’ve
said. Yesterday is gone!!

The other day we shouldn’t worry about is TOMORROW with its impossible adversaries, its burden, its hopeful promise and poor performance.

Tomorrow is beyond our control. Tomorrow’s sun will rise either in splendor or behind a bank of clouds – but it will rise. And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.

This leaves only one day – TODAY. A person can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down. It is not the experience of today that drives people mad – it is the remorse for something that happened yesterday, and the dread of what tomorrow may bring.

Let us therefore, LIVE ONE DAY AT A TIME.