For the last twenty-five years, I have been part of a regular Tuesday morning men’s prayer group. The number has fluctuated—never more than eight, never less than three—but what has not fluctuated is the day and time. It’s been a lifeline for me – a constant in a world of change.
This has been a safe place, a place where one can speak an unflattering truth without fear of judgment because the next week, the other guy is going to have his own dirty laundry to air. We have cheered each other on through raising children and achieving career goals. Our successes have been all the sweeter because we’ve been able to share them together.
In comparing notes as husbands, and trust me when I say that all of our wives have benefitted from it, we have supported each other through major life transitions like children’s weddings and the passing of parents. And we’ve stood by each, sometimes praying about a situation for years, often being able to celebrate when circumstances that seemed hopeless resolve in a way more beautiful than anything we could imagine.
Sometimes one of us will have big news, but when we don’t, my friend Tony will often say, “Thank God for an ordinary Tuesday.” I’ve come to adore that sentiment. You see, I grew up in Hollywood where everyone is trying to be a movie star. Then I moved to Nashville where everyone wants to be a country music star. The idea was, “Boy, won’t it be great when I . . . win an Oscar, have a hit single, etc.” Whatever the goal, it was always out there somewhere in the future.
However, the truth, of course, is that we all do this. Life will be better when we get that job, buy that car, live in a bigger house . . . fill in the blank., The problem with this kind of living is it guarantees that fulfillment and happiness will always be out of reach. What we have now is never good enough.
My friend Rick says, “God hasn’t given us tomorrow. He has only given us today.” He is right. The trouble is, when we live for things that can only happen tomorrow, it’s easy to overlook the gifts of today—amazing things right in front of us. A sunset. A flower. A loved one’s kiss. A great song.
My friend Lisa told me that every morning when she opens her eyes, she says, “A bonus!” She said it was her way of acknowledging she wasn’t entitled to another day. It helped her greet the new day as a gift for which to be grateful. So, I thought I would try it. Guess what? It works! I find it especially helpful when the day holds a task I’m not looking forward to. This simple statement of gratitude immediately changes my perspective. Maybe I’m not looking forward to doing my income tax, but there will be other things in the day I will enjoy—ordinary things like talking with my wife, taking a walk, playing the piano. And so on. When you look at your day that way, you realize none of our days are ordinary. Every day is a gift from our loving God for which we should be thankful.
Several years ago, John Mandeville and I had the opportunity to write some children’s Bible songs. Naturally we had to boil some of the themes down to a child’s level, but today I was thinking of one of those songs. It’s called “Thank you Father.” I happen to think it’s a good message for us adults too, just the way it is (swap out the word “work” for “school” if necessary). Here are the lyrics:
Thank You Father for this day
Thank You Lord that I can praise You
Thank You Father, thank You Father for this day
Thank You Father for this life
Thank You Lord that I can love You
Thank You Father, thank You Father for this life
Thank You Father for Your church
Thank You Lord that I can worship
Thank You Father, thank You Father for Your church
Thank You Father for Your Word
Thank You Lord that I can hear You
Thank You Father, thank You Father for Your Word
Thank You Father for Your son
who means so much to me
Thank You Father for the cross
where I was set free
Thank You Father for my home
Thank You Lord for all my family
Thank You Father, thank You Father for my home
Thank You Father for my school
Thank You Lord for my friendships
Thank You Father, thank You Father for my school
Thank You Father for this day
Thank You Lord that I can praise You
Thank You Father, thank You Father for this day
Thank You Father for this life
Thank You Lord that I can love You
Thank You Father, thank You Father for this life
Here’s to another ordinary day full of the miracle of God’s love!
Steve Siler is Founder and Director of Music for the Soul, a multi-award-winning ministry using songs and stories to bring the healing and hope of Christ to people in deep pain. Music for the Soul is a community of professional musicians, therapist, pastors, and ministry leaders committed to offering life-giving resources to those whose hearts are hungry for understanding, self-worth, wholeness, and peace. An accomplished songwriter and music producer, Steve has had over 550 of his songs recorded. He won the Dove Award for Inspirational Song of the Year with I Will Follow Christ. His nine #1 and 45 top-ten songs include Circle of Friends and Not Too Far from Here. Steve has spoken at the National Right to Life Convention, the American Association of Christian Counselors, and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation Summit among others. He has authored two books: The Praise & Worship Devotional and Music for the Soul, Healing for the Heart: Lessons from a Life in Song. See more at www.musicforthesoul.org/
