Let's Hurry Up and Shut Down

At least 5 times a day someone tells me they feel like something in their life is happening too slowly. They want to get more done more quickly so they can. . . I’m not sure what exactly. Have nothing to do? Do things they like instead of things they don’t? Rest? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I do ask but mostly people talk in riddles—or like they haven’t actually thought about what they would do with the time. Sometimes I get really clear answers—I would spend more time with my kids or read more books or spend more time in prayer—but not usually. When I ask what they actually do when they have spare time the answers are more often watching Netflix, scrolling through their social media, playing golf, etc. In short, when people have time to do whatever they can it seems most often they check out of the world. None of this should be taken as a criticism per se, just an observation.

Nostalgia and Future-Tripping
It's like listening to punk with one headphone in
Or using a pencil to rewind our mix tapes
It's like not recognizing Tony Hawk on a plane
Or finding out that Goth kids switched to vapes
It's that scar on your legs from the homemade half-pipe
Or the Bowling for Soup shirt that's now too tight
It's like french fries in the new Wendy's frosty
It triggers the love but it's just not quite right

And I've got bills to pay and kids to send to college
If the University is still around in a few years
And retirement probably isn't happening, like ever
So it's sometimes it's tempting to spend time on tears
But the graveyard is full of tombstones and grass
And when I hear the whispers I know they say
The purpose of life isn't what you'll do tomorrow
Nor what made you happy some other yesterday 

You can only live today. 

Almighty God, help to live today for your glory, showing your love to all, without anxiety or depression, without so much love for the past that I am stuck looking backward nor so much thought for the future I cannot be present today. Amen.