Thank God it's Monday

Mondays are generally relegated to the trash heap of the week, a leprous kind of day that offers nothing more than a reason to complain. But in the interest of changing old habits, I'm making an effort to view Monday as an opportunity, a launchpad. I've spent too much time looking behind me at weeks gone by. Now is the time to reframe Monday.

For some, Monday is a day of fasting. For others it is the day to commemorate the angels. I like this idea. It allows me to meditate on the impact those who have left this earth but who have made an important impact on my life. Though they are no longer with us, I feel their presence still. And for that I am grateful.

First on this list is my father. He was a kind and generous man, who spent his life supporting and upholding his me emotionally while trying to sent me down a better path than the ones I chose in my youth. My father taught me the value and  importance of family. He had a wicked sense of humor and a willingness to make fun of himself. He had a temper - don't we all? He knew how to apologize, and he was a faithful child of God. How many times did he invite me to study the Bible with him, as an opportunity to get closer to God and to him? Can't even count. How many times did I say, "Yeah, maybe later"  as I ran out the door, or up to my room, or off in another direction? Can't even count. He allowed me my failings and forgave me my frequent meanness and taught me that forgiveness trumps pain every single time. Thanks, Dad.

My sister-in-law Marcia tops the list as well. This flame-haired beauty was a beacon in a cynical world. Hallmarked by kindness, a quick wit, earth-mother wisdom and authenticity, she was a great example to all of us. She never wavered in her fight against cancer, never played the victim, never gave up. She left behind a family forever changed by her grace. We would do well to remember it when times are tough.

Who are the angels in your life? Who will you commemorate with your actions and attitude today? Who will enable you to say, as I do, "Thank God it's Monday" ?


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Worth noting: An interesting read at Health.com today about the scientific link between emotional and physical pain. Seems evidence now shows that the terms "heartache" and "heartbreak" may not be so far off. File it away in "Yeah, I thought so."