"Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination; never put off til tomorrow what you can do today." ~Philip Stanhope

I hate grocery shopping.  I'm not sure why, but out of all of my household responsibilities, stocking the pantry is at the bottom of my favorites list.  Last week I was sick, and Jeff was out of town, so I got by on what was already here.  We were out of town over the weekend, so I planned to do the grocery shopping on Monday.  Now it's Tuesday, Jeff is traveling with work again this week, and I am rationalizing how I can wait until tomorrow to make a trip to the store.

Tomorrow.  We plan for it, and put off what we don't want to do today.  Sometimes we even waste today, because tomorrow always looks more promising.

Fifteen years ago today, a group of Texas A&M students were working on the annual campus bonfire stack.  There was an accident, the stack collapsed, and twelve of those students who were there never saw "tomorrow."  And this same week last year, a godly young man known and loved by many who read this blog attended Bible study, worshiped God with his brethren, and decided to go for a swim that afternoon in a nearby river.  His tomorrow never came, either.  I've written here before about my dad - he left home one morning to do some work at his deer lease, not knowing that he would never see tomorrow.  And just recently while traveling out of town, I passed the scene of a fatal traffic accident.  The deceased person's body was in the road, covered by a sheet, and the magnitude of that scene struck me - half an hour before, that person no doubt had plans for their tomorrow.

As I focus this month on being more thankful for things I often take for granted, I'm mindful today of today.  This moment.  In the big scheme of things, if my tomorrow never comes, it will not really matter if I go to the grocery store today or not.  But there are other things that will matter a lot.  It will matter if I put off healing a broken relationship, or apologizing for something I've done wrong. It will also matter if I have put off telling someone dear to me how much they are loved and appreciated.  It will be of great significance if I wait until tomorrow to spend time encouraging someone because I was too "busy" with mundane things - like watching TV or playing computer games or... you can fill in your own blank... and my tomorrow never comes.  And most importantly, if I wait until "tomorrow" to live for Christ, to pattern my life after Him, to seek God's favor, to spend time in His word and time in prayer, and today is all I have left, then I have taken this day for granted in a way that has eternal significance.  

Harry Morant wrote, "Live every day as if it were going to be your last; for one day, you're sure to be right."  Good advice.  If I knew tomorrow will never come, what would I do today?  I'm thankful I have today, and may God help me to never take THIS day, THIS moment for granted, but to use it up in service to Him.