Three more days until winter

In three more days winter officially arrives. It's one week until Christmas. It's two weeks until New Years.

Do we find ourselves counting the days until the next event in our lives, or the lives of those we love? Little children are probably counting the days until Christmas, maybe asking, "how much longer is it?", echoing that traveling question, "how much farther is it?", or "how old will I be when we get there?"

It's easy to get bogged down in wondering (or worrying) about the future, even the near future, but obsessing about it to the point of anxiety is not recommended. In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus calls this "borrowing into the tomorrow." (Matthew 6:34) When we do that, we steal from ourselves the joy that might be ours right now, as we live in thankfulness. Today is what we have, and living life to the fullest includes being aware of God's love and provision for today - now - trusting that God, who is eternal - will also be there for all our tomorrows.

So for today, I recommend that we think about this verse of scripture from the Sermon on the Mount:

[Jesus said] "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today." (Matthew 6:34, NRSV)


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Vicar, Holy Cross Church Episcopal
Billings, Montana
www.holycrosschurchbillings.org
406-208-7314
photo by Rebecca McCloud Chavez