As I am writing this note I am 39,000 feet up in the air en route to Dallas. As we did the rocket take off from John Wayne airport, my view of the coast line was stunning. There were no clouds to obscure my vista. The ocean was a variegated blue-green, the hills were several shades of tan and the rose colored stucco houses dotted the landscape.

It was a pleasant ride and I felt calm and comfortable resting in my tiny seat. The perspective was lovely and I felt correspondingly good.

Flash forward a couple of hours and the skyline is now a dull grey reflecting the outer edges of a tropical storm called “Bill.” I can begin to feel the rumblings of some choppy wind popping the bottom of my seat.

The grey outside my window is getting darker. We are starting a gradual descent and it looks ominous out there. The pilot said to expect turbulence as we near Dallas. And I can feel the tension rising in my body.

Now bear in mind, nothing bad has happened. A few light bumps…a casual mention of rain and wind swirling around Texas and I am tightening in anticipation.

Truth is, this happens more than I might like to admit. Perhaps it has to do with an upcoming meeting with a disgruntled parent. Long before we sit down, I start the imaginary conversation and I tense up.

There might be a possible confrontation looming with an employee or family member, but how quickly I leap frog over the “possible” part and start acting as if it has already taken place and it all went badly.

What I am doing is borrowing the grief from the “it might happen pile.”

I can’t be the only one with that tendency. But all of us are violating that Biblical injunction found in Matt. 6:34 “…to take no thought of tomorrow, for sufficient today is the evil thereof.” In that verse the Lord was trying to give us a very important life instruction…stay in the moment. Don’t borrow grief from the next moment. There is plenty to deal with that’s right in front of us.

So this week, let’s all work on that.

Let’s imagine that the challenges of life are reflected in one of those numbering machines you find at a government office. Just take one number off the wheel at a time. Wait until that one is dealt with before you snap off another.

And let’s take to heart His promise that His grace is sufficient for every “number!”