You know why I like Monday?

Because there’s no pretense about it.

Monday isn’t sexy. It’s not cute or fun.

But, Friday?

Friday is awesome!

Friday is like the rebel cousin who always gets what he wants.

Monday is awkward.

He’s the pimple-faced, ratchet, kid brother with buck teeth and B.O. (body odor).

And here we are all staring at it him like he’s the bane of our existence.

“Go home, Monday. You’re not welcome here,” we say.

“We don’t like you, Monday. You’re a turd for real,” he gets told.

Our responses, a sure consequence of living for the weekend.

As if days of the week could earn high school superlatives, in which case, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday would already have them. Thursday, gets an “Honorable Mention” for being a sort of Pre-Friday and Wednesday gets a little love for being “Hump Day.”

Its commonplace to “turn up” for the weekend.

But if in our living we find ourselves plowing through 4 days of existence, only to savor the latter 3 days of the week, then what’s the point?

Shouldn’t we be paying a little closer attention?

Don’t you think life warrants a little more acknowledgement?

Consider the following:

The average life expectancy in the U.S. is 78 years of age (75 for men & 80 for women).

If you live in Japan, it’s 82 years. (Congratulations Japan, you’ve outdone the world once again.)

If you’re from Swaziland, your average life span is about 31 years. Yikes!

Now, you’re most likely reading this from some device in the U.S..

You may not be a whiz with numbers, but let’s do the math.

• 1 year = 365.25 days

(The 0.25 is the reason we have leap years. 2016 is a leap year.)

• 78 yrs = 28,489 days

• 78 yrs of Weekend Days = 12,418 days = 34 years of life

• Time Squandered Wishing & Waiting for the Weekend = 16,071 days = 44 years

In the days calculated above, most people will longingly look to the end of the week to live their life to the fullest.

If Monday - Thursday are spent in drudgery waiting for the days to come, then on average we’re looking at 44 years of life wasted and living in want. It would be the equivalent of living 34 years and then pulling the plug...in which case, my life would already be over.

But the “in-between” time doesn’t have to be wasted time.

Our work can matter more if we let it.

We all possess certain skills & gifts.

Putting a gift into action generates an awareness that we could exist for something more.

It instills within us with a sense of purpose and affirmation.

Suddenly, there’s a reason to wake up in the morning…even on a Monday. Especially, on a Monday.

And Tuesday, as well.

No, Monday isn’t sexy, but it’s necessary. And so are you.

31 days ago, 2016 began.

It seems like longer than that, doesn’t it?

In my mind, 2015 has already been filed and archived away.

The world blazes on and you can too.

How? Commitment.

Commit to…

• Show up. Everyday.

• Make that effort, particularly when you don’t feel like it.

• Set tangible goals that drive towards the vision God has given you.

• Pray and read the Word, so you’re connecting with the Visionary on a regular basis.

Last year, on this site, my wife, Casey, and I, wrote over 35 Articles and 41,000+ words.

We determined that every Thursday, regardless of the circumstance, a new post would be delivered and one of us would write it. We committed to do the work, even in the face of fatigue and inconvenience.

Monday is inconvenient.

And sometimes, so is commitment.

But the end result is always worth the effort.

It’s Monday.

Time to grab that pin-headed piece of awkward and give him a hug.

This is your life.

Savor and honor God in your gifts Every. Single. Day.