NOW is Your Time

My husband and I have been doing a lot of research lately on life insurance. We know it is something important to have, especially now that we have a baby. If anything were to happen to either of us, we want to make sure that our sweet baby is taken care of. A woman came into our home the other day to talk about our medical history and to do a medical exam on us. As we were filling out the paper work, I realized something.

Rewind eight years ago. My husband (boyfriend at the time) was serving his mission for our church thousands of miles away from me and I was going to school and working. All I wanted was to be married and to be a wife! It is all I ever thought about, talked about and dreamed about. I worked hard and was really good at saving my money for our future family. I knew I was going to marry him as soon as he walked off the plane, so I wanted to make sure our financial situation was somewhat okay. I waited for him for two whole years before I was able to marry him. The day we were married for time and all eternity was one of the best days of my life. I was a wife!

Shortly after I became a wife, I quickly wanted to be a mother. I noticed every woman pushing a stroller, every girl my age posting pictures of their cute bellies on Facebook and every little pink outfit at Target. Being a mom is all I ever thought about, talked about and dreamed about. I loved being a wife, but I was ready to add another little person into our family. It took us about four years to get pregnant – that is a long time to be waiting for something. But the day our little angel joined our family was one of the best days of my life. I was a mom!

Now, as I sat there filling out these papers for life insurance, I noticed a little trend in my life. When I was single, I wanted to be married. When I was married, I wanted to be a mom. Now that I am a mom, I want ANOTHER baby. I have always wanted more. I have always wanted the next step in life to happen. Once one thing was “checked” off my life list, I quickly wanted to carry on to the next step.

I put the paper work down for a minute and dropped my pen from signing the papers. Is this what life is about? Should we always be waiting for that next step? That is when it hit me… I honestly don’t think so. I truly feel that we need to ENJOY life… that we need to live in the NOW. Often times I find myself saying things like, “Oh, I will call her tomorrow.” or “I will go to the gym on Monday… it is a new week.” or “I will do that when I have more time sometime next month.” Where are our priorities? What is most important in our lives TODAY?

Marjorie Pay Hinckley said, “Think about your particular assignment at this time in your life. It may be to get an education, it may be to rear children in righteousness, it may be to be a grandparent, it may be to care for and relieve the suffering of someone you love, it may be to do a job in the most excellent way possible, it may be to support someone who has a difficult assignment of their own. Our assignments are varied, and they change from time to time. Don’t take them lightly. Give them your full heart and energy, Do them with enthusiasm. Do whatever you have to do this week with your whole heart and soul. To do less than this will leave you with an empty feeling.”

I want you to write down YOUR assignments that you have in life right NOW. Each of us is in a different stage in life, which is what makes this world so interesting.

If NOW is your time to be a wife: You could surprise your husband by delivering a treat to his work, clean up his side of the room, make him dinner, make him breakfast, pack his lunch, write him a little note, text him that you miss him, hug him when he gets home, kiss him goodnight or do something he loves to do! Truly show him that you are his and that you love him.

If NOW is your time to be a mom: Put down your phone, computer, iPad or TV remote and fully engage in your children’s life. Read a book with them, go to the park, play with their trains, build with their blocks, sing a song, work on a puzzle, color in a coloring book, go on a picnic, play outside, throw yourselves into their lives. Let them know you love them. Barbara Johnson said,  ‘To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.’

If NOW is your time to get in touch with your family: Call your parents, grandparents and siblings. I think of mine often, but rarely act on calling them to check in. Pick up the phone and call those you love, let them know they are on your mind and that you care about them.

If NOW is your time to get healthy: Go to the gym and eat right. I am so guilty of saying – “MONDAY! I will go MONDAY!” Why wait? We need to take care of our bodies and be healthy. Find something that motivates you, ask a friend to be your work out buddy, join a class, track your food (there are so many great apps that help with this!), focus and stay strong. Anything is possible.

If NOW is your time to visit with friends: GO! I have been blessed with many amazing friends and often times I go weeks without speaking with them. Set up a time to get together, bring them a treat, call or text them, have a play date, go on a girls night out. Keep in touch with those that you love and have changed your life for the better. “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

If NOW is your time to serve: Get out there and find those in need. When I was on bed rest, so many amazing people served me. I learned what real service was at that time in my life. Go visit someone who needs to feel loved, make dinner for a sick family, clean someone’s house, work on your church calling or even find ways to help those you do not know.

For all of us…NOW is the time to LIVE. I love the song by Tim McGraw, “Live Like You Were Dyin’.” It talks of a man who gets sick and is told that he may die. So these are the things he does:

He said I was finally the husband,
That most the time I wasn’t.
And I became a friend a friend would like to have.
And all the sudden goin’ fishing,
Wasn’t such an imposition.
And I went three times that year I lost my dad.
Well I finally read the good book,
And I took a good long hard look at what I’d do
If I could do it all again.
And then.

I love this part:

Like tomorrow was a gift and you’ve got eternity
To think about what you do with it,
What could you do with it, what can
I do with with it, what would I do with it.

Take a look at your list and set your priorities. What is most important in your life right NOW? Whatever that may be, focus on it. We can’t do everything, so do ONE of them. And get really good at it. In fact, do your very best at it and continue to do it. Don’t wait for the next best thing to happen in your life, rather, look forward to it and work hard for it and one day it will come when it is supposed to… I promise.

Danielle is the owner of Today's the Best Day. She strives to provide creative and uplifting content in order to enrich the parenting experience for women everywhere. Danielle hopes to help you and your family to make every day the best day!