Here and now

I'm not the kind of woman who is easily satisfied with the present tense. In fact, I've spent most of my life yearning for some point in the distance, some magic date upon which the world of toil I currently occupy will melt away into paradise. I pretend I know these dates and I look forward to them with great anticipation. My made-up dates come and go, never delivering on their promises, and so I ascribe mystical properties to yet another date and sit and wait and let life pass me by.

No more.

In recent weeks, I've had a revelation. Life, right now, is good. I no longer wish for some future point on the horizon but enjoy the present for all it's worth. I have a job I love and a man who meets my persistent attention needs while refusing to spoil me. I smile and laugh more than I have any right to. I can honestly characterize my life with joy.

And I don't say that because everything is going my way. I'm still frustrated by the drudge of life and feelings of inadequacy. Yet I know that God has my future in His hands and He's given me the present as a lavish gift.

There are a few dates on my horizon to which I look forward (most notably a long-awaited Cardinals game at the NEW Busch Stadium), but I no longer pin on them utopian properties they cannot possibly fulfill. Instead, I let tomorrow worry about itself. This is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be GLAD IN IT.