Winter sunrise from our back deck.
“The sun comes up
It’s a new day dawning
It’s time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes.”
These words, by Matt Redman, always take me back to that morning drive to the hospital on kidney donation day. I’ve heard and sung the song at least a hundred times in this past year. A couple of weeks ago I realized that those words were so real every time I heard them. I was truly at peace in that moment, October 23, 2012, and willing for whatever direction my life took that day. Those same words (although not that song) were said in April 2011 on the day we said “yes” to Tati becoming part of our family and March 2013 as we drove our family to our new home across the country.
Sunset at our favorite beach on Maui.
That’s all great, but what about this day? Can I say those same words today and every day?
“Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me”. Can I accept “whatever”? Am I living in a mindset and willingness that I will accept the unknowns of this day, the one right before me? I want to. It’s part of this amazing, extraordinary journey – the unknown. It’s easy to say what I think I can and can’t handle. I’d like to think I could handle a one million dollar donation to my bank account today. I’m willing to try that one out anyway. But I don’t always get to choose the “whatever lies before me”.
The reality is that all I can do today is be willing for whatever may come. I can practice the parts I can control, my responses to the circumstances around me today. In that daily practice, I am refining my spirit and strengthening my resolve to live an extraordinary life. I don’t know what my next big extraordinary challenge will be or even if it will come today, but I do know that even the seemingly small things are part of the extraordinary journey.
Sunset over Lake Michigan.
Are you in the journey? Are you living the extraordinary life that is before you today? Can you honestly say that you will still be singing when this evening comes, no matter what may pass and whatever lies before you today? Say yes to the extraordinary journey today! It may seem scary but it’s always worth it!
Be Extraordinary!
Be Extraordinary! 
[…] so many things that brought me back to the feelings of that time and experience. There were several songs that were particularly meaningful. I noticed when it was the 23rd of every month that first year. […]