ON DOWN THE ROAD

 My memory is fading faster than blue jeans in a hot wash.  When I looked through my notes on potential blogs this morning, I found a great one--but for the life of me I do not remember where the idea came from.  Go ahead--take the credit--whoever gave me the idea and I sincerely apologize for failing to thank you.  I am now at the point of diminishing returns when it comes to memories.  AND, it is not just recent events I cannot remember---I am not certain I had a childhood---those memories are sailing away also.  BUT as I tell my offspring---it is just like the WWW that now surrounds us---it is always there---the problem can be finding what you are looking for.

Today--I am focused on Thanksgiving---and then Christmas.  They are so close together it is difficult to separate them.  My youngest grand has a name for his parents---MOMMYDADDY---all one word.  Recently when he was in my care I began to lay the groundwork for bedtime.  He quickly informed me "I need to wait for MOMMYDADDY to come home."  I am a sucker and also an idiot at times---I thought if I got him quiet watching a movie he would go to sleep on the couch.  I was in trouble when they opened that door after 9:00 and he was still awake.  Sorry--but one happy grand trumps parents' rules in my book almost all the time.

Back to the subject---so at the moment I am planning our Thanksgiving feast while also beginning to think about Christmas.  Somehow I get it in my head--today will take care of itself and I need to focus on the next future "event".  The day to day--I tend to perform by rote, without much thought or planning.  Automatic pilot is my setting when it comes to the moment I am in.  No elaborate planning--not much thought about what I am doing--just going through the motions of the day to day.  NOW--those BIG events out in the future--they get a great deal of thought---and perhaps an acknowledgement of my failure to be planning.  BUT here is the thing---I truly enjoy those BIG occasions BUT most of the time I enjoy the days leading up to and sometimes even the lull following them-perhaps even more.  Placing a lot of importance in an event in the future precludes acknowledging the joy of the preparation and the rehashing and reflection after all is said and done.  The note I made on my blog idea log says it so well~

"Are you guilty of looking ahead instead of at what is right in front of you:"

Are we able to take each day as it comes and live in the moment of that which we have?    At this point in life--there is no guarantee I will be around for that next "Big Event".  This has caused me to pause---and reflect---and hopefully do a better job of living in the moment I am in and be thankful.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow-only the present moment.  Asking God to help me stay present in each moment and giving Him thanks.

"Don't worry about tomorrow.

It will take care of itself.

You have enough to worry about today."

Matthew 6:34 CEV