"Morning"

The mist is on the pastures,

And the pink is in the sky,

Early morning praises,

Bring a tear into my eye.

And I’m thankful for the dawning,

Of a new day livin’ free,

And the chance to do it horseback,

Just the way it’s meant to be.

I’m a cowboy on a mission,

It’s a simple one it seems,

I’ve lived it for a long time,

Both awake and in my dreams.

And all that it amounts to,

Is to  honor Christ the Lord,

And day by day surrender,

To God’s Word, the Spirit’s sword.

Enjoy life’s little blessings,

Fight every battle strong,

Let folks know God loves ‘em,

And to Him they belong.

Be there for my loved ones,

Be a loyal, loving friend,

Press through every trial,

Be faithful to the end.

And on the final morning,

When it’s time to say good-bye,

Praise for the mist upon the pastures,

And the pink that’s in the sky.

“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Please, Lord, save us. Please, Lord, give us success.” (Psalm 118:24-25, NLT)

Life unfolds one day at a time, and each new day is a gift from the Lord. What we do with it is our gift back to Him. All of us have wasted time and opportunities. We live and learn and, by God’s grace, find ways to maximize what the Lord gives us. To live on purpose means to thankfully choose God’s will and intentionally, proactively cooperate with the leadership of the Holy Spirit. He helps us apply God’s word and carry out God’s will. The last day is coming for all of us. That day will be a blessing if we do not waste today.

Lord, help us to live thankfully today, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mary Ross Buchholz, used by permission. Thanks, Mary, and God bless you.