Had a most wonderful block party time at the street that includes our church, and all due to the spearhead, a man so wonderful and motivated for living, Earl, the self proclaimed Mayor of the avenue…  Yeah…  (And the food so good because it was made with love, the hamburger I had, yum, and the mac and cheese, yum, and the peanut butter and other cookies, yum…)

Earl is unique and a blessing for me to have met him (less than a month ago) and he and his wife and their son were fabulous to chat with, as were the other neighbors and our church members who came out. And in chatting with Earl I found the right and best headline for this blog as well as for life: ” ‘Someday’ doesn’t exist.” 

Here is how the conversation went – and Earl at the same age as me (under 60) has fought and is fighting so many health battles that the Lord is keeping him in play for another day – in and out of the hospital but still here to serve God and God’s people and especially the avenue of neighbors – with love and motivation. So, the doctor asked Earl – ‘what is still on your bucket list?’ (knowing the time draws unknown) – “what is still on your bucket list?” – Earl honestly said “NOTHING” – I did it – I went to X, Y, Z…  “I did”…  And Earl said to others who said “Oh, I want to go to that place, ‘someday’…” – Yeah, well Earl said to the effect: “I look at the days – and well, there is a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. – ‘SOMEDAY’ does NOT exist…”  I chuckled and agreed – thank you Earl…

‘Someday’ does NOT exist – go now – make the plan – be the one to decide to live – GO…

Someday – nope – today – tomorrow – make a plan – stick to the plan. Be fulfilled and fulfilling…

We know that God created the days – and after the creation of the world, he created a day called “TODAY”. (Hebrews 4:7) – and urged that we don’t harden our hearts towards God.

Thank you, Earl, for your wisdom beyond your (our) years… 

So – the people enjoyed gathering with each other – were gracious to include us with the church – it was an all day affair – I left as the sun was about to set but the people still enjoyed sitting outside in the nice breeze – and the younger young folks went in to socialize too…  Maybe my most important interaction that day was listening – not just to Earl – but to a most precious young girl who came with her wonderful parents. I loved sitting with her as she painted beautiful rocks and some drawings – and we talked about school – and she shared some tough things about school and I was able to relate – and support her – and MOST importantly I was able to tell her that GOD LOVED HER. I urged her to be brave – that it will get better – and that honestly, perhaps someone was watching her to see how she reacted to this toughness and that was inspiring them…

Let us continue to live = and be called to blessing = and yeah – be neighborly and loving – share our hopes and inspirations – LIVE in TODAY – and also LIVE in the hope that is Jesus’s gift of Everlasting Life…

Amen

—

1st Peter 3:8 – 22 NKJV 

Called to Blessing

Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. For “He who would love life – And see good days, –Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Suffering for Right and Wrong

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

Christ’s Suffering and Ours

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

amen…