Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF), also a well know restaurant! Friday’s are good days for me. It’s the end of the work week, my usual Friday night dinner date with the kids and the start of the weekend!
“Carpe Diem”
- I borrowed this quote from a friends blog today, it seems fitting for my day too!
Today I had a busy schedule for a Friday – I started my 10 week marathon training plan (for those who don’t know, I am entering my first 1/2 marathon on June 28th, 2009), I went kayaking on the lake for a few hours, scheduled a couple CIA jobs, picked up the kids from school, supervised a CIA electrical job, helped lay pavers, finished off a landscape project at the Rucker’s, and got a nice surprise at the end of the day… the kids got to stay one extra night at Dad’s house!
My marathon training schedule is tough, but necessary to prepare for my first race. I am in excellent physical condition right now, but I can’t stop here, I need to push my self harder, faster and stronger! But physical strength is not all that I need to prepare for this race… I also need ’spiritual’ conditioning.
Going to the gym or working out on the treadmill wasn’t even mentioned in the home where I grew up. It was assumed hard work would take care of any need for exercise. As might be expected in such an atmosphere, not much attention was given to exercises for the heart and soul, either! The idea was to work hard for God too, just as you do in other parts of your life, and your soul would be healthy.
So that’s what I did – work and work hard, especially when I got married. After a few years I was physically, spiritually and emotionally spent, winded, empty, shallow, lean and hungry. The demands of my family, job and other life’s intricacies had grown well past my personal spiritual resources. I literally got burnt out!
What was I to do? I needed to get ‘back to basics’… start over, but this time do it right! Back to the quote above – “Carpe Diem” – Latin meaning to seize the day. But I am not just seizing the day, I am seizing my life today! I am getting a second chance at life again , a ‘do-over’, a fresh ‘new’ start; and I am not going to waste any time looking back at the past – for today is almost over, and tomorrow is almost near!
So as I spend an ‘extra’ night with my kids tonight, I am thankful for all the blessings I have - excellent health, a good spiritual base, and a hope for the future. My friends, keep your chin up and don’t let yesterday or today worry you, for only God knows what is installed for you tomorrow… let Him ’seize your day.’
Today’s scripture – For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” - Romans 10:10-11
Have a safe weekend! Vince
