You Never Know if Today is Your Last Day

Dear reader, 

I hope you are well, I pray you are viewing those around you with Christ's love and intentionality. 

You’ve been given a great task. I hope you view it as such.

I've experienced a loss—actually multiple losses. I’m sure you can relate on some level. 

I worked at a daycare. Which I’m sure many of you know by now. But with recent decisions made by our board of directors, our pricing for our kids had gone up significantly. My boss was very hesitant and pushed back on the decision, but in the end, it went through. 

Ever since that day, kids have begun to drop like flies out of our daycare. It didn’t really affect me at first. Most of the kids I took care of regularly weren’t leaving. But I went to work last week and out of the blue I learned of one kid leaving the next day. 

It caught me off, guard. I wish I could say I was fine with it, but I knew that I would ultimately miss his quirky behavior and contagious laugh. Or how he would come up and hug me and say “I missed you Mitchell.” after not seeing me for maybe an hour or so. (Which I came to learn was his way of saying I love you.) 

I am a very relational person. I can’t help how God created me, and I’ve learned to embrace this part of my character. 

But… 

It really sucks to say goodbye.

Especially when you don’t know if you’ll ever see them again. I normally overthink a bit when this happens. Along the lines of-

Did I treat them well?

Did I show them that I listened?

Did I model good behavior for them?

Did I even mention Jesus to them?

I don’t think I ever did mention Jesus to him. 

Maybe I did but I’ve forgotten, but I can’t say confidently that he knows of the most important person alive. 

He’s a young kid. Not even in preschool yet, but I do hope I see him in heaven one day. Not because of anything I did. 

There have been about 10 kids that have left now. Some I got to say goodbye to, others I did not. Some I shared the Gospel with some I did not. 

I write this to place your feet to the fire. To show you the sensitivity of relationships. 

You never know when the person you talk with every day is suddenly not there anymore. 

It’s completely out of your hands sometimes when someone drops off your radar. It’s happened to me more times than I can count and I’m still relatively young. 

Heed this warning. 

Love those around you as Jesus would. 

Speak the truth to them. Don’t beat around the bush. 

And if you truly do love them, make sure they are living the best life they can. 

A life happily surrendered to God. 

Those around me the most are kids aged 1-5. 

Who's around you the most?

Would you care if they “POOF” disappeared never to reenter your story again?

Check your heart on this. James 4:14. “-yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life like? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.” 

Imagine a squeeze of a Febreze can. 

PFT. That’s all we get. Are we using it for God’s glory?

Sincerely, Your Relational Day Care Worker

-Mitchell