Living in the Moment

My travels are almost over, at least for now. Today I will be leaving the east coast to head back to Washington. These last few days have been amazing. The Lord has provided opportunities for me to reconnect with past team mates and other friends. After a some what busy summer it has been nice to slowly ease back into life in the states. In the last fews days I have been blessed with rest, good and long conversations, good company, trips to new places, sleep with very little disturbance from jetlag, and reminders that the Lord really does delight in providing what I need. Even with the anticipation of more transition ahead, I have really been able to live in the moment and am thankful for each present day.
On one of my long flights back I watched the movie Kung Fu Panda. It is a humorous family friendly animated movie about a Panda whose dream is to become a Kung Fu warrior, but in reality all odds are against him. However, He was chosen to become this great warrior and the only one that could defeat the enemy. Many did not believe that He was the one and at a point of discouragement one of the wise masters shared the following proverb:
"Yesterday is in the past, tomorrow is a myster, but today is a gift and that is why it is called the present." He was encouraging the Panda to live in the moment and make the most out of it. We can't get discouraged by what has already happened or by what we don't even know is going to happen. This part of the movie really sticks in my mind because so often I dwell on the past and worry about the future instead of being thankful for the gift of a new day and new opportunities. As I continue to live a life of transition, I continue to pray that I live in each moment and that I turly see the present as a gift.