The overcast sky is so beautiful right before dusk. Father Sky has layered his folded clouds in grays and purples and vanillas, so pretty and fluffy looking, each cloud resting on top of another. When it came time for the pageant of sunset, Mother Nature only had a small window of blue sky canvas to paint. She brushed her watercolors in shades of apricot and orange across the sky, the layers of color resting so prettily on the horizon, ready for the sun to slide down and turn out the day’s light. Father Sky held up the accordion clouds long enough to kiss the sun goodnight, hurrying off for his duties of waking up the moon and stars, pinning them on the velvet black of the night’s darkness.

I scribbled two quotes down on the back of a letter from Boss Lady the other day. Just found them on my desk. Took a few minutes to transcribe my writing but I figured it out eventually. One of them is, “The beginning is always today,” from Mary Shelly. You think about it and realize we wake up everyday with a new beginning, a clean slate. The other quote is from Steve Maraboil, “Forget yesterday — it has already forgotten you. Don’t sweat tomorrow you haven’t even met. Instead open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift — today.” I think I’ve used these quotes before but anyway…

Yesterday is behind us and a new day is before us, a gift of a fresh beginning for us and for the earth. We really never know what the day will bring, heartache or happiness. We read in Matthew 6:34, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” We need not focus on tomorrow but focus on the present day trusting God and his will to provide for our future needs. We shouldn’t worry about yesterday. Just focus on today. Lamentations 3:22-23 states, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Use your energy to make a today a best day. Every day is like a new blackboard where we write our goals and dreams, holding the chalk and the eraser in our hands. Let God guide what you write on your chalkboard.

My Florida cousin loves quotes, too, and she sends me a few every morning. I love this quote from Neil Gaiman.“The only thing that you have that nobody else has is you. Your voice, your mind, your story, your vision. So write and draw and build and play and dance and live only as you can.” We are all definitely unique, marching to the beat of our own drums. Some of us travel our life in step with the crowd, never bold or courageous enough to step out of line, making a new path with our own drum. I’m a coward and don’t march well by myself but I’m learning that I can step out by myself and beat my own drum. I’m old enough to realize now I can control my drum sticks. The beat I choose is of my own making. I think that’s one of the perks of being older. It’s okay to just say, “No.” I can sit in the swing and watch the birds all day long if I want. No pressing family needs dictating me a schedule. I make each new day with God’s grace a day of my own.

We all have a story to tell that no one else can tell. If we stay in step with our dreams we’ll have wonderful stories and experiences to share with our families and grandchildren. We all have our own voice, our own vision, our own mind. We can use our voices kindly or harshly. We can criticize or compliment. We should think well before we speak. A word spoken in anger never goes away. My daddy use to tell us, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut.” That’s good advice cause once you verbalize it, you can’t ever take those words back.

We all need to play, too, and learn how to let go and let the wind ruffle our hair. I don’t think we ever get too old to enjoy a good time and a good laugh. Several years ago, I inner tubed down the Toccoa River in Blue Ridge, Georgia, with my grandchildren. This was the most fun I’ve ever had. I felt like a child, laughing and gleefully screaming, and for a few moments experienced the pure joy of being a child again. I hope I never get too old to play and laugh. I might be at Shady Oaks one day, but my friends and I will break out the Scrabble board and split up the poker chips for a rowdy game of Texas Hold’em. The Lord wants us to dance in the sunshine, splash in the rain puddles. Play is not just for children. Playing fuels your imagination and creativity, improves your mental health. And don’t forget to dance with the music in your life.

We have to have faith and trust in God’s plan for our lives. God wants us to have a joyful and purposeful life. He wants us to spread his light and love to those around us. We only get one chance at living in this beautiful, wonderful world. Let’s each make a conscious effort to write and draw and build and play and dance and love and live.

“Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been and look at what can be.” — Marsha Petrie Sue