"Today is a gift, that's why it's called the present"

Somebody once wrote, “Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present.”  I spent too much time researching where this quote originated, and I was unable to find a definitive answer.  But the point of the quote still remains.  The Bible says, “You don’t know what will happen tomorrow.  For what is your life?  It is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.”  There are examples of this fact everywhere.  As I was putting all this together, I heard the news that actor Luke Perry passed away as a result of a massive stroke, he was 52 (https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/04/us/luke-perry-dies/index.html).

I’ve been watching the very first season of the show Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (from the year 1993).  It is bittersweet to watch because some actors from that season have since passed on.  For example, Thuy Trang, the original Yellow Ranger, passed away back in 2001 from a car crash, at the young age of 27 (that information can be found here).  Robert Manahan, the man who voiced Zordon for 5 years passed away in the year 2000; he was only 43 (Robert Manahan/Zordon info).  I could go on, but I’m going to stop there.  As I said, it's everywhere, and it can quickly exhaust you emotionally.

Tim Tebow in his newest book This is the Day writes, “Life is a gift.  Each day is precious – and at times fleeting.  Pain and tragedy are constants in our time on earth…Things happen that we do not understand…This is sad and yet very real.  We can’t control the path or the magnitude of whatever the storms or disasters come our way.  We can’t anticipate our losses.  And we can’t hold on to the promise of tomorrow.  So what’s something we can do?  We can this day celebrate the ones we love.  We can create special moments with them.  We can say “I love you.””

My mother, Rose Mary, is going to celebrate a birthday this week.  While these milestone events are still bittersweet (you just don’t get over the loss of the love of your life in 3 and a half years), they are to be celebrated.  I want to publicly inscribe that I celebrate my mom.  I say what I’ve previously stated in this blog: I love my mom, and I’m proud of her.  I rejoice how God has used the fire of loss and suffering to hone her into a more faithful follower of Jesus.  It’s not easy to walk the road of suffering.  It’s not easy to walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  I feel she deserves to be applauded, esteemed, and celebrated.

Kevin