“Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself.”

These are tough times for some families, worrisome times for many.

The roof has fallen in on the housing market. The price of oil has all of us over a barrel. Food prices are up, employment down. And people in seven states have been hit by devastating floods and tornadoes. Things have reached the point where the American Red Cross may need to be rescued - -  it’s running out of money.

Yes, times are tough. But, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said not to worry. He said much the same thing on at least four other occasions: “Do not be afraid.” At the Last Supper, when He knew what fate awaited Him, He told his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Wouldn’t you like to be that worry-free? I know I would. Just last night I was worrying and fretting. I worried that I wouldn’t know what to write this morning about “how to be worry-free.” Then I re-read what Jesus had to say:

“Be not therefore solicitous for tomorrow; for the morrow will be solicitous for itself.”

And so, I put down my writing tablet and spent the next hour in the garden, pruning, weeding, digging. . .lost in the present moment. The garden is my refuge, a place where peace and tranquility take root among contentment and gratitude. It’s sacred ground. I imagine that same feeling inspired another gardener long ago to pen this verse about counting our blessings, instead of our troubles:

    Count your garden by the flowers,

    Never by the leaves that fall.

    Count your days by golden hours,

    Don't remember clouds at all.

    Count your nights by stars, not shadows,

    Count your life with smiles, not tears.

    And with joy on every birthday,

    Count your age by friends, not years.

When I picture Jesus delivering the Sermon on the Mount, He is seated on a flower-covered hillside. The people surrounding Him are the poor, the sorrowful, the persecuted and hungry. They face tough times, worrisome times. And, yet, they have hope. They have faith. And that is enough for the present moment. One day at a time. That’s how they lived.

When we have financial troubles, health problems and conflicts with others, it’s only natural to feel worried. But, when we take a second look, we see that most of our worries have to do with the past or the future, not the present moment.

Right now, at this present moment, we can set aside our worries and take stock of all our blessings. In a spirit of gratitude, we can praise God and ask for His continued blessing, especially during this time of need. We can remind ourselves that:

Yesterday is a cancelled check

Tomorrow is a promissory note.

All we have to spend is the precious present.