Dear Friends,

A few years ago, I came across the expression ‘You can’t change the past but you can ruin a perfectly good present by worrying about the future!”  It is one of those sayings that has stuck with me ever since. 

Too often, we can caught up looking back at the past, perhaps with feelings of regret or sorrow over things we wished we hadn’t done or opportunities that we didn’t take.  Other times it is good to look back at the past with fondness at happy memories.  But one thing for certain is that we can’t change the past.  What’s done is done but we can do something about the present and the future. 

It seems at times too, that we can get caught worrying about the future and I read once that 90% of the things we worry about never happen anyway!  It is important to plan for the future and not just live in the
moment but it is equally important that we don’t get caught up
worrying about tomorrow and forget to enjoy today. 

As Christians, we have the assurance that God has forgiven us for our past mistakes so we need not dwell in regret wishing we could change what we have done.  We also have the assurance that God will take care of our futures as we follow the Lord.  We also have the assurance that God is with us right now in the moments that I write these words and you read them. 

Psalms 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (NIV)  Each day is a precious gift from God and we should make the most of every moment right where we are.  Let us learn from the past, plan for the future but let us also enjoy the present and who knows what God will have in store for us this day!  After all this is the day that the Lord has made, so let us indeed rejoice and be glad in it! 

May God bless you. 

Paul Wood
Captain