These words are settling into my life TODAY. They are also starting to infiltrate areas of my life that will come up TOMORROW.
The plaque itself is mounted to a fair sized granite stone and sits quietly for the next person that it will stop and rearrange their life.
Consider these 213 words below…
There are two days in every week about which we should not worry, two days which should be kept from fear and apprehension.
One of these is YESTERDAY with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains. YESTERDAY is passed forever beyond our control.
All the money in the world cannot bring back YESTERDAY. We cannot undo a single act that we performed: we cannot erase a single word we said. YESTERDAY is gone.
The other day we should not worry about is TOMORROW with its possible adversities, its burdens, its large promise and poor performance. TOMORROW is beyond our immediate control.
TOMORROW’S sun will rise, either in splendor or beyond a mask of clouds-but it will rise. Until it does, we have no stake in TOMORROW, for it is yet unborn.
That leaves only one day – TODAY – Any man can fight the battles of just one day. It is only when you and I add the burdens of those two awful eternities – YESTERDAY and TOMORROW that we break down.
It is not the experience of TODAY that drives men mad – it is the remorse or bitterness for something that happened YESTERDAY and the dread of what TOMORROW may bring.
Let us, therefore, live but one day at a time.
~ Percy and Nancy Harris ~
Not far from this spot are some graves that are very important in our family. One of these graves I stood over yesterday.
I brought my grandsons, Jonathan, Thomas, Michael and Christopher over to look at their other Grandpa’s grave marker. William Rourke – 1936 – 1966 is engraved on the brass plaque. One of the boys reached down and brushed the grass cuttings from the face of the plaque. Together they looked intently at their family name on the marker in front of them.
Their other Grandpa was only 30 years old when he died in an airplane accident in the mountains of British Columbia, Their Grandma had been 5 months pregnant with their son Bill – who is their dad.
Bill and Lois Rourke were a young couple their whole life was before them. He was a rising star as a Pastor and Evangelist across Canada. She was a radiant young mom-to-be who was also an accomplished musician. Suddenly on that fateful day – William Rourke II and his friend, another pastor, died alone on that mountain side in a remote valley outside of the Prince George area. His young wife was widowed.
It is a long story that is now 42 years old. Lois moved to New Jersey to live with her mom and dad. Then when her parents retired they came to live with Lois for the rest of their lives. She supported them all these years – until this past week when her mom passed away at 101 years old.
Lois is one amazing lady that has become for me the ultimate example of someone that lives in her TODAY. She discovered the 213 words before they were placed on the plaque not far from her husband’s grave.
YESTERDAY was Lois’ Fifth Time to stand at this graveside in 42 years. She has left her TOMORROWs in God’s hands. Almost two years ago now she announced her plans to marry Manne Idestrom – a widower – that marriage took place on the last day of 2007. YESTERDAY she stood hand in hand with her husband and son Bill (My son-in-law that I am very proud of…!)
I have to stop this post… it may become a Love Story and a great Canadian novel. But that is what every great novel is made up of…isn’t it… a whole lot of wonderful TODAYs strung closely together with love.
~ Murray Lincoln ~
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