From a2z ... day by day

It's time for the next letter in the a2z meme... the letter "D."

We're undergoing a dramatic transitional phase in our lives and ministry. Major life changes—uncomfortable, but welcome.

These kinds of seasonal shifts bring a certain amount of dread about the unknown, and a head full of silly, unanswerable questions that start with "how," "why," and "what if." And deeper, more difficult questions about roles and identity and relationships.

Last night I caught myself thinking about one of those roles and wondering what it will be like to lose that part of my identity. What will I do, how will I feel, what will it be like to no longer be a _____________________, but to be a _______________________________ instead?
(Feel free to fill in those blanks with your own terms. It could be the shift from student to graduate, from employed to retired, from single to married, from non-parent to parent, or parent to grandparent.)

While I muddled over those thoughts, playing with scenarios in my mind the way a toddler splashes in a puddle, churning my head into a murky mess, I heard the words, "day by day."
Not the song, just the phrase.

Jesus made it pretty clear: "So don't be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time." Matthew 6:34 TLB

But how many of us really, truly live that way? Not worried about tomorrow, not fretting about next month or next year or the next decade, just living "one day at a time"?

If I had to give myself a grade for how well I live one day at a time, it would probably be a big, fat, red "D" or maybe even a "D-".

It's a difficult concept for those of us who are compelled to accomplish and achieve and perform in order to feel worthy of approval and acceptance.

It might be a difficult concept, but it has to be better than living in dread and doubt and dismay, which are the results of worry and fretting about the future!

So there's my challenge... one day at a time. How do YOU do it? Maybe the letter "E" will provide an awesome answer!

Until then, don't forget to visit the other great a2z meme bloggers. I've been blessed by their posts and I think you will be, too.