What if it happened today . . . ?

"What if today was your last day on earth?"

A question that we hear ever so often . . . we all listen as someone passionately begs us to live life to the fullest, to love harder, to forgive quickly, to laugh more often. I think that it probably moves all of us to really try and live as though every day were the last one we had with those we love best. But too often that only last for days, sometimes just hours, and then we are back to taking for granted the things that we will someday regret not enjoying more. For me it's things like my 7 year old sister wanting to cuddle with me, or asking me to come and kiss her goodnight. Things like the laughter around our dinner table, and all the inside jokes we have as a family.

We are not guaranteed one more day, one more moment even. Why do we allow ourselves to get caught up in the things of life that distract from that which is most important? Why do we get angry, or irritated, with people? Why is it that I allow myself to rush past my little brother/sister as s/he is asking me to take them to the park, because I have other more important things planned?

I have been reminded of this problem several times over the last few days. After hearing of people who have recently lost a loved one, others that know they will soon be facing that loss themselves with a chronically sick family member.

I want to live B I G G E R, in every way. I don't want to waste a minute, no, a second with pettiness. I want to take time to do the things that will matter the most in the end. I am far from doing that now.

My most recent reminder came when I read a post written by David Wenzel this morning. David, about a week or two ago through a stroke of luck (actually more like God's providence) found out that he has a large brain tumor. He shares his story of what he has been going through for the past few weeks while trying to figure out what they can do to take care of this problem.

His post today struck home for me. I would encourage you to go read it, and think about what he says. These are words coming from a young guy who has a young wife, and what he used to think as his whole life before him. Now the doctors are telling him that could be otherwise. His attitude is awesome, and reminds me of this song that I saw the words to recently. It is about a man who has just found out he is dying, and his friend asks him what his response was to the news.

He said:

"I went sky diving I went

Rocky Mountain climbing

I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named fumanchu

and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter

and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying

and he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.

-----

He said I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn’t

and I became a friend a friend would like to have

and all the sudden going fishin wasn’t such an imposition

and I went three times that year I lost my dad

well I finally read the good book

and I took a good long hard look at what I’d do if I could do it all again."

-----

I finish with this - One of the most important aspects of living like you are dying is to make sure that you know where you are going after you die. 2 Corinthians 6:2 says - "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

You are guaranteed no tomorrow. Do not put it off, today is the day to make sure you know who you will spend eternity with. Our God anxiously waits to welcome you.

Make it count . . . Give someone an unexpected smile . . . Take nothing for granted.
~Jessica Shae

*Edit* I would love to hear what you are doing to make each day count. Make a memory and then share what you did with all of us! Leave your ideas in the comment box below :)