"Open for me the gates of the righteous; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad." (Psalm 118:19-24 NIV)
Yesterday ended up being a pretty ordinary day.
I got out of bed in the morning. I put together breakfast for my husband and a "lunch" for my high schooler (if a 90-calorie protein bar, a bag of baby carrots, and a container of grapes to be eaten at 10:40 a.m. can be considered "lunch"). I checked some emails and scrolled through social media. I put on my tennis shoes and headed out on the road in front of our house for my morning walk.
It was all just like I do almost every other weekday morning. The routine. The norm.
My inclination, though, is to be dissatisfied with ordinary days. I want something interesting or exciting or post-worthy to be happening.
And yet I think of so many people just in my little circle of life whose lives have been thrown off-center...friends who would give almost anything to go back to a nondescript, "ordinary" day.
I also know the shoes of peace in my spiritual armor are laced up by gratitude. I know I need to be thankful for the gift of any "ordinary" day.
The truth is, I need to be flat-out in awe any day I'm able to choose to do ordinary things...any day circumstances beyond my control do not take those choices away from me.
Any day I am physically and mentally healthy, so I'm able to choose to get out of bed in the morning.
Any day we have food in our pantry and in the refrigerator and my husband has a job, so I am able to choose to make him breakfast before he goes to his office.
Any day I have a relationship with both my children, so I am able to choose to have conversations with them.
Any day we live on a safe country road, so I'm able to choose to put on those shoes and go for that walk.
Any "ordinary day" is an extraordinary gift.
"The LORD has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad," the psalmist exhorts (Psalm 118:24).
"The Lord..." Let's be clear about who's doing the doing here.
"Has done it..." Whatever "it" might be.
"This very day..." The day we're on right now.
"Let us rejoice..." Let's also be clear about who's supposed to be doing the rejoicing.
"Today..." As in, TODAY.
"And be glad." The choice of gladness.
Oh, God, You have done it this very day! Let me rejoice today and be glad!
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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!