Cherish Each Day

September 29, 2023

By: Rev. Gwen Bernstine serves as Pastor at Lycoming Presbyterian Church, Newberry

I am especially fond of days that have nothing special scheduled, days when I can go about my daily routine or choose to do something completely different. However, the blessing inherent in these days is to take time to savor the gift of the day.

The axiom many of us grew up hearing is that we are to “stop and smell the roses.” However, if your mind is too literal, this may not be a good image, simply because we don’t always have roses (or any flowers for that matter) around us to stop and smell. I do not want anything to deter me from savoring something I find that delights me.

It may be the morning sunrise, and I will remember the rhyme my mother-in-law used to say: “Red sky in the morning, sailors warning. Red sky at night, sailors delight.” Then I can decide if I will need my umbrella later that day.

One of my favorite verses from scripture is “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24 NRSV). Not only is this often lifted up as a prayer praising God, but it is also often sung and has been set to music many times by many generations as people search for ways to praise God for the many wonders of life.

 It is easy to identify things I look forward to cherishing each day: the smell of my morning coffee or the refreshing taste after just brushing my teeth. Maybe like me, you delight in the warmth of your friends’ smile when they hear your voice, or you find joy when you see your fur-baby’s dance after you come home from a trip to the store.

One summer day, Bob and I had just finished filling our car’s tank at an area gas station when I saw people rushing across the parking lot. There had been an accident. It started with just one little misstep that landed a lady in a heap. The good news was that she didn’t hear anything snap like a bone that was broken.

The bad news was that she couldn’t get up, and it seemed everyone had seen her fall. Good and bad news came next. Many came to help, but none knew how to manage the lady, her oxygen, and cane. But a fire truck happened to be traveling by, and the firefighters saw the commotion and stopped. They knew exactly what to do, and after making sure she was okay, they continued on their way. That day, in the space of a few moments, I had so many blessings to savor I could hardly wait to tell people how I saw God actively working in our midst.

May you enjoy finding some of the ways God makes our lives extraordinary every day.

 

 

Posted in Footsteps To Follow