This is the day

"The best things in life are nearest: Breath in your nostrils, light in your eyes, flowers at your feet, duties at your hand, the path of right just before you. Then do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things in life." - Robert Louis Stevenson

This is a lesson I am continually learning...to open my eyes to this life right in front of me and see it as a blessing... to keep my eyes wide open in deep gratitude for these precious moments and days.
"This is the day that the Lord hath made, we shall rejoice and be glad in it" - Psalm 118:24 I have heard these words so many times in my life... my mom used to sing this song a lot when I was a kid; but I feel like I am just now really "hearing" those words for the first time. THIS IS THE DAY. This day. We are to rejoice and be glad in it. But am I really glad? and do I really rejoice? I think I have moments of joy and gladness, but if I am being completely honest it is usually conditional... I will be glad when the house is in order, when I get more sleep, when I lose weight, when the kids have better attitudes, when all the kids are potty trained, when the sun is shining, when, when, when. The list could go on and on. But what about right now? What about this day with all of it's flaws, and me with all of my failures? These moments are fleeting and our lives here on earth are a mere breath. I want to spend my days adding up joy, not adding up mistakes and beating myself up over the things I didn't accomplish.
"Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" - 1 Thess.5:16-18 This is God's will for me and all believers- right now, this day....rejoice, pray, give thanks.