Old Sayings
Zephaniah 3:17 ESV
…like there’s no tomorrow
Long before live, love, laugh, give I heard “like there’s no tomorrow.”
I’m not sure when I first heard it but the concept of making the most of the life we’re given has been part of me for many years. It’s not something I say aloud. It’s more like a reminder from my quiet inner voice reminding me to make the most of every day.
I think I started taking it seriously the year I turned thirty-four years old.
That was the year I learned that life is fleeting and ever so precious.
I learned to act like there’s no tomorrow every day. I remember in a 24 hour period of time everything can change in an instant.
My dad was in his sixtieth year when he found out he had cancer. It was 1987 and while they were beginning to see some results in getting cancer into remission, modern medicine still had a long way to go.
They briefly did treatment but the cancer did not respond well. It moved throughout his body very quickly.
He was gone about two months after they stopped the treatments.
I suppose I need to explain that my dad was my rock. He was my go to guy, especially when it came to learning about God.
I wasn’t sure how to “do life” without him, but I was a wife and a mother and I knew I had to go on. My four children were eleven, nine, eight, and four years old. They were suffering as well because they lost their playmate. When we went to visit, he always played with them. They built Lincoln Log projects and played with cars. He gave pony rides on his back. He taught my three oldest children how to ride a bicycle. My youngest son was only four when my dad passed on so grandpa didn’t get to teach him how to ride a bicycle.
One thing was for certain about my dad…he lived like there’s no tomorrow.
At his funeral visitation we stood up front for hours because so many people came to pay their respects. I remember the line went outside and around a large driveway for hours. He gave parts of himself to others.
Give like there’s no tomorrow.
He gave away his love, his time, his ingenuity, and his humor to everyone.
Love like there’s no tomorrow.
He laughed a lot and he was a very clever practical joker.
He was active in scouting with my brother and every summer when he went to scout camp the men would plan detailed practical jokes for each other.
While the boys attending camp were excited about their activities, they were also looking forward to what the scout leaders were ‘up to’.
All of them enjoyed the practical jokes.
Laugh like there’s no tomorrow.
I was a little sister, but even though I wasn’t at scout camp I loved hearing about their escapades.
Laughing like there’s no tomorrow is contagious.
After my dad was gone I realized how much of himself he gave away. He didn’t talk about boundaries. I read the book about boundaries by Cloud and Townsend when it came out in the early 90’s and I tried to practice appropriate boundaries. We were ministry and you can get overwhelmed at times, so knowing when to give and when to rest is important. My dad took time to pray so he may have known when to stop and rest, but I don’t remember him saying no when someone needed help.
He gave like there’s no tomorrow.
People who know me well know that dogs are a big part of my life. I am allergic to cats, so even though I’ve known some pretty funny felines, I have to keep my distance. That’s not so with my dogs. I’ve noticed that dogs really do live like there’s no tomorrow.
Right now I have a schnoodle and he is quite a pup. He’s funny and always loving. I also have five GRAND dogs in my life. I periodically visit a chocolate lab, a pit bull mix (he’s a rescue dog), a red heeler, a blonde lab, and a golden retriever.
They all live like there’s no tomorrow. I know it’s a little silly, but I could write a book about the things in life I learn from dogs.
While all of my grandchildren are wonderful and unique, I want to talk about my sixth born grandchild.
When he was born he weighed one pound eleven ounces. He is the oldest of twin boys. When he was five days old he had two significant brain bleeds.
He has cerebral palsy.
He’s had surgery after surgery and countless times I received a phone call asking me to pray because we’re losing him. He’s been part of our lives since 2013 now and every day is a blessing.
He’s smart and funny, and oh so loving.
I am ever so blessed by all of my grandchildren, and I’m grateful for all of them. But my grandson who lives with his disabilities amazes me because he really does fight hard every day to live like there’s no tomorrow.
We do not take life for granted because of what he has taught us.
When Jesus walked the earth I think He knew pretty early on that life is fleeting. I think He gave of Himself and He is our model for loving and living like there’s no tomorrow. Even though Jesus died young, He made every day count.
I believe we are called to do the same.
The prophet Zephaniah wrote about what was to come during the reign of King Josiah (around 635-625 B.C.), “The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” Zephaniah 3:17, ESV
He lives, gave, and loved like there’s no tomorrow.
Spiritual Practice: Live, Give, Love
Consider what it would be like to really give, love, and live today.
In God, Deborah
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