glory days

when were the glory days? when were they for you?

i look at old pictures and think-
“those were the glory days!”
when i didn’t have a care in the world-
or when my hair looked better
or my body looked better
or when i had more money
or when i had a new adventure
ahead of me-

i talk to other youth pastors
and they tell me of the glory days
for their youth ministries-
when the numbers were high
or when the staff had certain members
or when there was a feeling of
excitement in the air.

when were the glory days?

the funny thing is-
when i remember the glory days,
they weren’t the glory days-
another time was the glory days.
even though i look back on a time
when i didn’t have a care in the world-
i know that i did have
cares and concerns and worries back then.
even though i look back
and thought i looked better
back then-
i wasn’t happy with the way i looked.
even though i was living in the glory days,
i didn’t see it-
i was so busy
remembering when times were better
that i couldn’t see
that those days were wonderful.
i should have appreciated those days more!

maybe i’m too busy remembering
the glory days NOW, and today
to see that the glory days ARE now and today.
maybe we’re ALL too busy
remembering when times were better
to see that times are wonderful-
today,
now,
here.

the glory days are now-
at least they can be-
if we stop to consider just how wonderful
life is-
now.

i don’t want to look back on these glory days
wishing
that i would have appreciated them more.
to quote one of my favorite theologians,
george clinton,
“once upon a time is called
now!”

these guys have some good things to say on the subject too:

“this is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
-anonymous psalmist:: psalm 118

“do not worry about tomorrow,
for tomorrow will worry about itself.
each day has enough trouble of its own.”
-jesus:: matthew 6