What If There Was No Tomorrow?

Today I woke up and it was Feb. 3. That is good news. It means it's a new day, the first day of the rest of my life. Every single day is that way. Last night Daddy and I watched Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. If you know the movie, then you know his character, Phil, lives the same day over and over again until he learns selflessness, love, generosity and picks up a few talents along the way (ice sculpture, classical piano, life saving). I remember the first time I saw that movie thinking, "I will never watch this movie ever again." For crying out loud, I felt like I lived the day over and over again with him, and really didn't think I'd want to again.

It got your Daddy and I talking. I asked him if there was a day he would want to live over again. He said his birthday during the time we lived in Georgia, so he could make love to me on the back walled-in patio while you kids were at school then play with you when you came home for the rest of the day. "That was always a good day," he said. For me it was the day we spent in Door County with Grandpa Lauritzen, GranDonna, Megan and Johnny. It was a perfect day. The weather was ideal, we made precious memories and saw some amazing places. There are some days I can still smell something in the air and will say, "It's a Door County day," because it has that feel. Notice that Daddy and I picked days where everything was sweet.

Now you should know your Daddy is not one to every want to relive a day. He is a firm believer that the day is over and it's time to move on to the next day. It's a face-forward and realistic viewpoint. He believes in living for right now. And of me, he would tell you my life motto is "make a memory," so you can see that squishing the two of us together is a pretty good combo.

So we can't relive yesterday or any other day, but we can make this day the best one ever. And we shouldn't have to relive the day to find reasons to be selfless, loving, generous and learn some new talents. Do it TODAY!

I will tell you something else about today that I bet if I asked your Daddy if he would want to relive it, that he would actually say he would. This day is your Great Grandma Veronica Zimanek's birthday. She would have been 99 today. Every Feb. 3 when we lived in Wisconsin, I would make Great Grandma a birthday cake and Daddy or I would drive it over to her home to celebrate with her (one time when I went back from Georgia to Wisconsin for my goddaughter, Julia's baptism in early February, I even made her a cake and took it then). I think if your Daddy could return to that farm home in Wisconsin on this day, cake in hand, to visit with her and his grandfather, he would do it in a heartbeat. This is why we delight in the moment ... because the moments go by. Praising Jesus for the memories.

So our advice ... take every opportunity to delight in the day, do great things, visit with sweet souls, take an adventure, be extra kind to one another, learn something new and make the world a better place in that one day ... so you never have any regrets about wanting a do over. As the character Phil says in the movie Groundhog Day, "Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today." And God said in Proverbs 27:21,"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." Enjoy today. And Happy Birthday, Grandma Z. We love you and wish we could play a little pinochle with you. Give Grandpa, Uncle Louie, Aunt Sophie and Grandpa a hug for us. We miss you.

Discussion: If you could live any day over again, which would it be? What is something you can do today to make a memory or make someone else's day better. What can you do for each other today?

Prayer: Thank you, Father God, that we only have to live each day once. And I pray we take advantage of making it a day to remember. Help us to remember to live it to your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.