Had you caught me several years ago,  I would have had  no problem writing about some experience that I thought was “Over too Soon.”  I likely would have written about the unexpected death of my mother, how the loss of her tangible presence had devastated me, and how I was certain that at just 49 years old, and fairly healthy, she was gone “Too Soon.”  Or maybe I would have kept it light and discussed some pleasant vacation, event, or moment that I desperately did not want to come to an end. Those options would have worked perfectly then, but certainly not now.

As I pondered the phrase –  Over too Soon,  a great memory surfaced.  My little nephew had come to stay with us for an extended summer vacation.  As the end of his time with us neared,  he became really sad.  As I consoled him, my amazing husband said this to him,

“Do you want to spend the rest of your time with us focused on it coming to an end, or do you want to make the best of the time we have left.”

With the last tears dripping from his sweet eyes, my nephew looked up at my husband and said,  “I want to make the best of the time I have left,” and that we did!

While I am certain my husband was creating a teachable moment for my nephew,  I doubt if he realizes, even to this day, how much of a lasting impact those words had on me. As I reflected on that menory today, I realized that until then I had  spent much of my life dreading endings and not being fully present for RIGHT-NOWs.  The idea of “Too Soon” had been cheating me out  of fully appreciating and enjoying moments. 

What about you? How often do you spend good moments being distracted by the reality that an ending is inevitable? How much time do you waste being completely absent because, like my nephew, you are focused on the  finalities that life is sure to bring, instead of making the best of the time you have in the present moment? 

 “Too Soon”  is defined as,

“A phrase, often used in a negative context that means before the time that is proper, preferred or specified.”

To say that something has ended “Too Soon” is to accept that in some way we were cheated or robbed of what we feel we should have received. I don’t know about  you, but I have never found much peace in believing that way, I only found myself toiling over what ifs that could not be changed.

In life, unexpected things will happen, and we will have reactions to those happenings, but I have decided to fully trust God, and that means trusting His Timing.  I’ve learned that my understanding can’t be a prerequisite for my trusting Him.   And believe me, in order to live this way,  I have to surrender my understanding constantly in order to position myself to trust Him above what I see and/ or understand. Yet, the more I do it, the more I don’t mind doing so because I know that He loves me,  I know that His thoughts toward me are good, and I know that He is always WITH Me.

I hope you will enjoy your special moments and be intentionally Present in your  “Right-Nows”.  I also hope that you will secure your confidence in God,  even, and maybe, especially when you don’t understand.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

That’s All for today,  until next time,

Keep Your Hope Living!

Sincerely,

Delanea D.