While driving yesterday morning, a family of deer crossed the road ahead of me in single file.

They crossed with parents leading them.

There was a much smaller deer at the back which was crossing after the others had made it safely to the other side.

The older ones stopped after crossing and all of them looked back to be sure that the “baby” had crossed safely.

IT TOOK MY BREATH AWAY!

Obviously, in the animal kingdom, FAMILY COMES FIRST.

The concern the older ones had about the safe crossing of the little one said it all.

And it is another teaching moment for those of us who have children.

As parents, we must strive to keep our family together even if there are some renegades.

The child we raise may take on habits or beliefs unique to him or her.

Regardless of their development into adulthood, we must look back to be sure they are safe and loved!

If not today, when?

As shown above, butterflies must struggle to emerge from their cocoons.

If you try to help it escape its cocoon, IT WILL DIE!

Is there a lesson here for parents?

I think so.

If you pamper your children, will they be adequately prepared for the rigors of adulthood?

They are growing up in a world of uncertainty and a degree of chaos in society.

Shouldn’t your kids have chores to perform around the house?

And shouldn’t those chores be strictly enforced?

How about when they are teenagers and eligible to join the workforce?

They should work whether your family does or does not need the money.

Every parent should, of course, love their kids.

Every parent should also, however, equip them with the tools needed to become self-sufficient adults.

When they face struggle as adults, they will be able to draw upon their struggles as children.

If not today, when?

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?

Can faith save him? ¹⁵ 

If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 

Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”     (James: 2, 14-26) 

I guess it’s just that simple.

Faith is not enough until your faith is manifested in action.

And that action must be for the benefit of someone in need.

When you do reach out to help someone in need, you may or may not get a “Thank You” in return.

So, the motive within you must be the knowledge that you are truly living out your faith.

And that should be all the motive you’ll ever need.

If not today, when?

This great song from Simon and Garfunkel says it all.

And this line from their song: “If I never loved, I never would have cried.”

We have often cried because we have loved much.

When we love someone, we know we might lose them someday.

We enter every relationship fully aware of the possible outcome.

What made Simon and Garfunkel so much admired was the wisdom in their lyrics.

They understood suffering and loss.

So, we hang on to those we love with all our might while we still have them.

Be grateful for their gift.

I know they’re not perfect and neither are you.

Love them in this moment because this moment is all you have.

If not today, when?

Nine hours, 30 minutes and 1 second.

That’s how long Daniel Scali held an abdominal plank position, shattering the men’s world record.

When the 28-year-old Australian man broke the record last month, the tough feat was made even more difficult by complex regional pain syndrome, or CRPS, which causes almost constant pain in his left arm.

Scali told CNN he has been dealing with chronic pain since the age of 12 when he fell off a trampoline and broke his arm.

“The pain is still there.”

“The pains aren’t changing but my attitude towards the pain changes.” (CNN)

Can we change our attitude about what’s possible?

Most of us neglect to use our maximum potential in all areas of endeavor!

Let’s learn a valuable lesson from Daniel Scali.

If not today, when?

I just celebrated my 80th birthday one week ago.

Because our daughter was having a medical emergency on that day, she was immediately hospitalized.

Of course, my wife and I spent the day at her bedside along with her husband.

I received a phone call a few days thereafter from one of my sons.

He was commiserating with me about the fact that instead of celebrating on my 80th, I spent the day in the hospital.

That phone call from him was obviously well-intentioned.

It also, however, provided me with the opportunity for a teaching moment.

I reminded him that we are “FIRST A SPOUSE AND SECONDLY A PARENT!”

Celebrating something doesn’t supersede serious parenting responsibilities.

Commitment to a marriage and to the role of parenting are the two major commitments of our lives!

If not today, when?

“I’M BORED WITH IT ALL!”

Yep, that’s what he said with his last words at the age of 90.

Now, please understand that he had one of the most noteworthy lives ever lived!

As a young cavalry officer, he fought in the Boer War in South Africa.

He was captured and successfully escaped.

He volunteered to fight in France in the trenches during WW1.

He was Prime Minister of England while Hitler’s army was destroying everything in its path.

He almost lost the entire British Army on the beaches of Dunkirk, France.

But, he designed a rescue plan involving hundreds of naval and privately owned boats.

His Lend-Lease Plan gave temporary use of British Islands to the U.S. in exchange for American Destroyers used to defeat the German “Wolf Pack” submarines that were sinking allied shipping.

At the lowest moment in recent history, one man stood tall and that man was Winston Spencer Churchill!

May his inspiring style of leadership come again in this hour of need.

If not today, when?

A long time friend of ours is a nun who taught in a girl’s high school for many years.

During most of those years, she lived with a fellow sister who was the principal of that same high school.

The sisters were great friends and confidants.

The other sister passed away recently.

Our friend sent me a birthday card saying, “I’m starting a new life.”

She is adjusting to life without her constant partner.

I’m telling you this story because all throughout our lives, we must accept and adjust to change.

Even when we are 90 years old.

Reach out to the lonely!

If not today, when?

Last night, we were waiting for our car at a hospital where we were visiting our daughter who is ill.

There was an African American man sitting in a wheelchair also waiting for his car.

He said to us, “You look like a happy couple. How long have you been married?”

We told him and he went on to tell us that he is single and despite his disease, hopes to marry some day.

Hopefully, he will meet and marry someone who is not deterred by his terrible disease.

Let us not ignore the suffering people all around us, wherever we go.

As harsh as it sounds, this world is composed of HAVES and HAVE NOTS.

Most HAVES ignore the HAVE NOTS!

Don’t do that.

If GOD has blessed us with a good life, let’s reach out and lift someone up.

If not today, when?