The Last Good Day

  

   

          November 20, 2008 was an ordinary day. Our two-year-old son Elijah had been brought home from Children's Hospital on Hospice a couple of weeks before with a terminal liver disease. We knew our time with him was limited, but we didn't know just how many days or weeks we had left with him. The night before Paige and I had talked about taking a day to ourselves. Eli's issues were at something of a standstill; he wasn't getting better or worse. In retrospect, it was the calm before the final storm. We decided that we would take the next day, and we would enjoy each other before the hectic week of Thanksgiving started. We didn't know then that God was wrapping a present for us. We couldn't have known that night the blessing tomorrow would be.

          So today was the last good day, or, at the very least, one that could be interpreted as such. I took off from work on a Thursday, the day after my birthday, for no apparent reason. We took Elijah and Maddie to Prattville for a day out, even though we knew people would likely stare and make rude comments about his condition. We put out Christmas decorations that night while listening to Christmas music…before Thanksgiving. We had never done that before, and we sure haven’t done it since. There was a lot out of place that day, a lot of decisions we made that still puzzle me to this day.

          There's no way we could have known that in less than 24 hours the beginning of the end would come, and our happiness would be turned. This day in 2008, we simply enjoyed the moment God had given us. Even though in the span of four more days our son would be gone, we didn’t know it. We couldn’t have known.

          Maybe that day I would’ve stayed up longer, went farther, did something more fun…who knows? But what I am certain of is this: God orchestrated a beautiful day, because He knew. He knew what we needed before we did. He allowed us to enjoy the day with each other. He knew it would be the last good memory we could hold on to some 16 years after his death.

          I’m sharing this to force you to think about what you traded your time for today. This could be your last good day, the last for one you love, or maybe the last for someone you need to make things right with. You don’t know any more than we did that uneventful day, so don’t waste the time you have with routine and schedule. Cross out your to-do list and live….love…and enjoy life with those your hold dear, because today may be the last day you have to hold them.

           I don’t remember why we chose to forget our routine a decade ago, and I don’t really care anymore. I don’t recall what I had to do at work that day or what project I needed to finish at home. Those things are forgotten. What I remember is the precious hours spent loving my son and sharing what little time he had left on this earth.

          So, take a look around you today, and forget those things pressing on your mind. Focus on what is pulling at your heart and spend your time with them. You never know when God’s call will bring them home. You never know when an ordinary day will be the one day you will hold on to for the rest of your life.