By thinking anxiously about the future, we forget the present such that we live neither for the present nor the future. We live as if we will never die, and we die as if we have never lived. Let's take each day as it comes, and live each day to the fullest. We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule our lives from within. Life is only traveled once.

Today’s moment becomes tomorrow’s memory. Enjoy every moment, good or bad, because the gift of life is life itself. Things will happen in our lives that we can't stop, but that's no reason to shut out the world. There's certainly a purpose for the good and for the bad. Here are some thoughts about life's priorities inspired by the writings of an unknown author.

When life starts to overwhelm us, it pays to take some time to rethink our priorities, evaluate how we are using our time and be sure that at least the most important things are getting done. For many people, juggling the multiple responsibilities of work and family life is a major source of stress. There just never seems to be enough time to get it all done. To make matters worse, we sacrifice sleep, relaxation and recreation to get our work done. What’s wrong with this picture?

Trying to slow the pace of a lifestyle that feels out of control is no simple matter. When life starts

 to beat us, it's time to evaluate our priorities. Some of the situations we find ourselves in may take a great deal of time and energy to sort out and simplify. Other times, a few simple changes can at least give us room to take a few deep breaths, smell the flowers and slow down enough to enjoy the precious moments that make up a lifetime.

Our first priority should always be God. Set aside few minutes a day to pray and read our Bible. We’ll be amazed at how quickly everything else comes into focus as we draw closer to God.

Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil, it has no point (Billy Graham). Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, leave the rest to God. None of us knows how much time we have left on this earth. So why not grab each day as it comes, make the most of it, explore it to the fullest, enjoy all its delights and treasures. God gave us a piece of life, we should take advantage of that time, the best we could. 

Our second priority is our health. We take our health for granted, and forget that daily habits can enhance or erode our good health over the years. When there is too much to do in too little time, it is especially important to get enough sleep, eat well and exercise daily.

And yet, during busy times, we tend to neglect our health. Let's remind ourselves that to accomplish what needs to get done at work and at home, we must keep ourselves in tip-top shape. We will make better decisions at work and at home, and have more energy for the people who are most important in our lives.

If we do not know how to take care of ourselves, and if we are not willing to do so, nobody else will take care of us. Our lack of love and commitment to ourselves attracts people with similar attitude. Then we will simply mirror back to each other that lack of self-understanding and self-commitment. People lose their health to make money; then lose their money to restore their health. Let's take care of ourselves!

By Tim Pedrosa

Most of the battles of life are won by looking beyond the clouds to the sun. And having patience to wait for the day when the sun comes out and the clouds float away. One thing never changes. It remains the same forever. God truly loves His children and He will forsake them never! ~Helen Steiner Rice~