Now Is the Time
Carpe diem- "Seize the Day" is a common phrase used to inspire minds and hearts to do great things. However according to wikipedia this is not the most accurate translation of this phrase. According to the contributors of this ever so popular site a more precise translation would be "pluck the day" as in plucking or picking fruit. When Leeanne and I lived in North Carolina we had a big apple tree in our side yard. It put out a ton of apples every year which were good for eating but great for making pies... mmmm mmmm. I can remember going out there and picking apples off of that tree for myself or Leeanne or Kortney to eat. It was very simple, I would just reach up and "pop" just pull one right off. Sometimes after getting it off of the tree and inspecting it I realized that maybe it wasn't the one I wanted and was then faced with a choice, would I keep it and eat it anyway or would I throw it in the yard for the local wildlife (aka. a squirrel or the ginormous groundhog that lived in the barn) to eat. I never had the option of attaching it back to the tree though, once I picked it there was no putting it back. Every day is coming and once it arrives there is no putting it back and once it arrives you have a choice - survive it, walk through the day to day specifics or pluck it, that is use it for something that is beautiful and good. Just as the picked fruit would be used to eat and the time spent getting it was great time together with my family every day can be a time of sharing life through Christ with others. That is sharing with them something that is good and beautiful. Hebrews 13:16 says "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased." "Pluck the Day" everyday for now is the time to make something beautiful out of the day that has been given to us.
