A Blessed Day!

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trail; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

Last week while several of the regulars were enjoying our morning swim class, there appeared a new gentleman. He put down his bag, surveyed the group, and then began to walk around the perimeter of the pool seemingly assessing us and the situation. We smiled, offered use of our lanes, and welcomed him. He never acknowledge any of us, and yes, he heard us! In a few minutes, he walked back, picked up his bag, and began walking out. Over his shoulder he shouted, “Have a blessed day.” Everyone looked at each other wondering “what kind of day does he consider blessed?”

Contrast that with an older gentlemen who lives with his sister and brother in law in our neighborhood. Every morning around 8:30 I pass him, and he’s already dressed for the day walking up and down the street. Every time a car passes him, he stops, smiles, and waves. He exemplifies the gift of a blessed day to me because he makes me smile.

The first gentleman definitely did not exemplify his words to us. The second gentleman shows what a blessed day should be. Sometimes we are so pre occupied with our mission that we don’t take the time to take stock of what really makes a blessed day!

God is currently working in our midst, but unfortunately, we fail to acknowledge Him, and we sometimes miss the daily things He does for us! There are those who would cherish some of the things which we take for granted. Things such as paying our bills on time, recovering from an illness, hugging our children and grandchildren, smelling fresh brewed coffee, seeing the sun rise and set, or just saying the words, “I love you.”

When Jesus was teaching his disciples, one of the first things He taught them was how to pray. He told them to say, “Give us this day our daily bread”, but He never mentioned bread for tomorrow or next month. The making of this day into a blessed day for ourselves and others lies solely with our attitude and actions.

Sometimes we all find ourselves planning the next thing while doing the current thing, which of course, steals the present moment from us. We will never get precious moments back. For example, my Mama and I always talked on Sundays for about an hour in addition to short conversations during the week. She always wanted to know everything that had happened in our week, how church went, how the children and grands were doing, and what we were doing that was exciting. She would always say, “Now, don’t let me keep you” probably because she knew I was multi tasking while we were talking. After she died, I kept remembering her words and thinking that a blessed day would be one where I could talk to her again and savor each moment.

Every day is a gift from God. Next to His grace and salvation, today is the most valuable thing we will ever receive. So, what makes a blessed day? First, I think it should enjoy the magic of the moments we experience. Instead of looking at the list of the day’s “to do” list, take time to actually enjoy the pleasures of the day. Life is to be enjoyed not dreaded or regretted.

Next, celebrate the people God has placed in our path. Each person we encounter every day adds something to our lives whether good or bad. It’s easy to celebrate the friends, but not everyone is there to be a friend. God places each one to teach us something. Someone once said, “remember as you slide down the banister of life, there are going to be people who are splinters in your butt. Pick them out and slide on!”

Finally, invite God into your day! Jesus promised that if we seek His kingdom first, all the things we need to have a blessed day and life will be given to us. God is able to provide for us daily the things we are busy trying to acquire.

Remember to thank the giver of all our gifts and have a blessed day!