The future is bright when you live it right.

And that means taking the bull by the horns.

There’s something to be said for clichés!

Yes, too often, we let the future unfold of its own accord, on its own, in erratic fashion.

It’s like starting a car, putting it in gear, weighting the accelerator with a brick, and letting it go off on its own.

When we’re lucky, it stays straight. The steering wheel is steady. It doesn’t veer. It doesn’t hit a bump.

When we’re not, it causes havoc — with us and others.

What it takes is discipline. Taking the bull by the horns — living right — means controlling ourselves, our thoughts, our schedules, our actions, and our energy.

Make hay every day.

How often in the Bible did Jesus or His apostles spend a lot of time doing nothing?

We do that best — live it right — by starting the day with deep prayer (give yourself enough time for that!) and then: getting right down to the day.

Discipline.

A myth: “I’m not a morning person.”

Everyone with discipline is a morning person.

When we’re not, the day often drifts on its own like that vehicle. By the time we build up the momentum we need to accomplish what we could and perhaps should, it’s late afternoon, even time for dinner.

Procrastination is the enemy of living right. It is the enemy of doing what we need to do, in an organized fashion. It’s the enemy of a bright future, or at least the nemesis of an optimal one.

Procrastination can prevent us from fulfilling our missions. It means to delay, to dither, to pause the “live feed.” It means to vacillate, waver, to hesitate.

When we die, we’ll see that every moment on earth counted.

Many sit around doing nothing as if it’s the hand they have been dealt. Deal your own cards.

If you retire, don’t lose your fire!

Do things for God. Christ is attracted to diligence.

This doesn’t mean that we begin the day in a frenzy! It doesn’t mean we exhaust ourselves from the start. God doesn’t want you to be a workaholic. It means to have focus, set goals, approach life with calm but tenacious diligence — and it is prayer that brings that into focus.

Pray about how to pray. Pray about how to organize the day. Pray about what you should do with the next precious twenty-four hours.

That’s 1,440 minutes. Precious moments. Use the waking ones. Look at each as a pearl. Get proper rest for your level best. Relish an even way of life (no frenzy! no hyperactivity!) but not a slovenly moment either. Offer up each little thing that needs to be done but that you don’t want to do and do them.

Your life is bright when you live it right, when you don’t put things off, when your surroundings are in order, when you don’t waste time, and when it is approached in the direct presence of Jesus.

[resources: Michael Brown pilgrimage, Italy! 1-800-206-Tour (8687)]