To Count or Not to Count?

“Don’t count your days. Make your days count!”

I get the sentiment. We easily fall into the trap of day counting.

Counting how many days until the weekend.

Counting how many days since our last fun experience.

Counting how many days until our vacation.

Counting how many days left in our vacation.

Counting how many days ‘til Christmas.

Counting how many days until the BIG day—graduation…wedding…anniversary…birthday…retirement….

Counting how many PTO days I have…I’ve used…I have left.

And the problem with that kind of day counting is the “meantime.” What do we do with the days between now and the day we’re counting down to. In the meantime, we can be so focused on the coming day—or the days past—that we waste today.

Or we’re not present. Can you relate to this:

We were on a wonderful week-long vacation, getting some needed rest and refreshment, enjoying each other’s company. Spending hours relaxing by the calming waters of Florida’s gulf coast. Delighting in local seafood.

Then about four days in, it struck me that the vacation was more than half over—only three days left. Then two. Then one. Counting the days. And the more I focused on the day count, the less appreciative I was of the moment. The less I enjoyed whatever it was I could’ve—should’ve—been enjoying. Counting the days, but they weren’t counting for much.

Or this, the “short-timer’s attitude”?

First time I heard the expression was on my first job—Ponderosa Steak House cook. On a busy “Tuesday Night Special” night, customers lined up out the door, one of the other cooks was late. When he finally showed up, lollygagging his way to the broiler, he seemed a bit aggravated with even being there. His attitude was oh-so-obvious to everyone.

“Short-timer’s attitude,” my manager whispered to me. Lolly-cook had given his two-week notice the previous week, had but a few days left until Ponderosa became a mere work-history-item on his resume. He was counting the days…but sure wasn’t doing much to make today count!

So yes, I get the sentiment.

“Don’t count your days. Make your days count!”

But then there’s this:

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

– Psalm 90:12

I’ve applied that quite literally. I’m not suggesting everyone do this, but some time back I read Psalm 90:12 and wondered what my day count was. I think I’ve shared this before, so pardon the repetition. But each day in my journal I write down how many days since I was born…slash…how many days I have left should I close my eyes for the last time on my 80^th birthday.

Today’s entry: 23,062/6,173

The intention of this little daily exercise is to make the day count by counting the days. To “get a heart of wisdom,” as the psalm writer puts it.

By counting the days in my personal history book, I can pause to consider what I’ve done with those days on a macro level. Have I made those 23,062 days count for something worthwhile? Have I used them wisely? Or I can count the days on a micro level. Did day #23,061 count for much of anything, or did I lolly away the day?

Given that the previous portion of Psalm 90 discusses the brevity of life—“The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty”—I’m guessing the main idea behind counting my days is to count forward, to count them down, if you will.

6,173 left.

How will I use them? Will they count for something?

How will I use this one? Will this day count for something?

What will determine the answer to those questions?

Wisdom.

One way to define “wisdom” is “the skill to use knowledge rightly.”

For example, remember the men Moses employed to fabricate all the ornate materials used in the tabernacle? We’re told they had wisdom in the use of fabric and metal. They knew how to take raw materials and fashion them into something beautiful. A skill I lack, to be sure!

OK, so…I count the days as an exercise motivating me to pursue life-skills development.

I acquire knowledge in my vocation as a pastor-teacher, but I need the skill to apply that knowledge today to make my calling count.

I gain knowledge about taking care of myself physically—diet, rest, exercise, etc. But if I’m not motivated to make today count by eating properly, resting sufficiently, and exercising moderately, my day count may be more like 5,173.

I learn things about my spouse—her personality, strengths, weaknesses, needs, longings…—but I need wisdom to make today count by encouraging her to flourish and by taking actions that will strengthen our relationship.

So, getting back to the original quote. Perhaps a simple tweak will do, and it will be a loose paraphrase of Psalm 90:12.

“Don’t merely count the days. Make the days count.”

Count them, but don’t merely count them.

Count them to get wisdom.

Get wisdom to make this day count for something worthwhile.