So Long Luciano... So Long...

It's a strange thing... thinking about those you have known (or known of) most of your life, no longer being a part of this world. The idea that you will have no new memories of that person... That every future thought of them will be based on a memory, and thoughts or ideas of who they were will begin to replace the real them. No, the passing of Paverotti hasn't been the thing to make me wax poetic. There are a number of things lately that seem to be constantly revealing how temporal and fragile this life really is. With those thoughts has come the question, "what on earth are you doing?"
Bringing me back to the question I've been asking for the past days and weeks. How NOW shall I live? I have no security of taking another breath tomorrow, of laughing with friends, or sharing a knowing smile. I don't know that I will see another sunset (or sunrise if I were at all the type to wake early enough). I don't know what tomorrow holds, so how NOW should I live?

I don't want to let my thoughts be consumed with "what if"s or "if only"s. I don't want to continue worrying about failed plans and opportunities.
I want to be the person I should be today and not continue to beat myself up over past failures. I want to know God and show him today how much I love him. I want to do today what He desires of me, and not worry anymore about the consequences... knowing that God's will for me is not always in line with the will friends and family have for me.

So there it is again... How do I live today in complete fulfillment of what God has earmarked for me in these next 24 hours?
How do I take captive my thoughts and make them obedient to Christ?
How do I pray continuously, at all times with all kinds of prayer - keeping this in mind... That HE who began a good work in me, will be faithful to complete it.