Tomorrow I’ll do it!

Samuel Johnson said, “He who waits to do a great deal of good at once will never do anything.”

How many phone calls are never made that should be?

How many cards sent, and visits are made versus those that ought to be?

How much needless emotional and physical pain is endured today that should have been dealt with yesterday? 

Today is all you have. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is perhaps coming. Some things you just don’t continue to wait for the perfect time to do.

The Bride, white of hair, is stooped over her cane,
Her footsteps uncertainly guiding.
While down the opposite aisle,
With a wan, toothless smile,
The bridegroom in a wheelchair comes riding.
Now, who is this elderly couple thus wed?
Well, you’ll find when you’ve closely explored it,
That here is the rare
Most conservative pair
Who waited till they could afford it.                                                           – Ogden Nash –

Keep a grieving partner by being a partner to others.

Job 2:11-13 (NKJV)
11  Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place–Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him.
12  And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven.
13  So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great. 

1. Job’s friends heard about his misfortune. In a time when they didn’t have telephones or Facebook they still got the word of Job’s losses.

2. Upon hearing the bad news, Job’s friends took one to two weeks off from work and met to go together to encourage Job. 

3. There is a certain window of opportunity when grief is best offered and accepted. If we wait for the perfect time and wait until we have the perfect plan — we’ll often find ourselves not going at all, and then later ashamed of ourselves for our hesitations.

If you intend to do anything great, get started on it today! Even the smallest act of kindness gets the wheels of progress rolling. Plan what you are going to do, and how you are going to say it. Take someone with you that strengthens your team and sets your resolve. Then, go TODAY to set up that appointment with your therapist, your medical doctor, or elder in the church. 

I am convinced that you cannot properly grieve by yourself, and you handicap others who need to grieve when you fail to launch your best effort to help them.

Today is your day! Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die and leave undone.

I’d love to hear your questions and comments about your grieving experience. doug_greenway@yahoo.com.