"Game On" or "Game Over"?

Statistics show that the human death rate is 100%!
Every person who is born on this planet will, at some point, die. There is no Eli Manning coming in with "hail Mary" pass that will put the game into overtime. Nope. When your time is up, it's up.

Actually, this is going to be an UPLIFTING post... I promise! So keep reading!

In my small group we have been reading/studying/discussing a fabulous book called One Month To Live: 30 Days to a No-Regrets Life. Last night we finished the book. The last two chapters were very powerful. I would recommend this book without hestitation to anyone, be they a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim, a Buddhist, an atheist (but really... are there REALLY any true atheists out there? and if so.... they need to go visit Michele's amazing photoblog and then check back with me...).

Anyway, back to my POINT. :-)

The point is, embracing our mortality can liberate us to live as fully and intentionally as possible "in the now"! (See Ecclesiastes 7:4)

Remember that God is very clear that you are on this planet for a reason (Jeremiah 29:11), and He has a distinct purpose and plan for your life. Another very clear point.... one day you will stop breathing, but you will NOT stop living. Your soul will live forever in eternity! (Wow!)

I would encourage you today to think about the two things that will stand the test of time. It's not the cute new sandals that you bought, or your beautiful home, or your convertible. No, those will all eventually turn to dust (or rust). The only TWO things that will stand the test of time, are the Word of God and people. Period. That's it.

So it might make sense to re-focus our time, efforts and energy away from temporal things and towards your relationships. Both with your Creator (however you happen to understand him) and with the people around you.

A parting thought, and a parting passage of scripture:

* No matter how long we live, it will be like only a few seconds in the grand scope of eternity.

*"It is a wonderful thing to be alive! If a person lives to be very old, let him rejoice in every day of life, but let him also remember that eternity is far longer, and that everything down here is futile in comparison." Ecclesiastes 11:7 - 8

Life's Strange Sadness

My 78 year old father is in the hospital - he had heart surgery today at St Joseph's, in Atlanta.
He did very well, especially considering his age, and considering his assorted health complications.

But anytime he has gone into the hospital (which is quite a bit the past several months), I stop, pray, then sort of hold my breath.

And, of course, he's my Daddy. Who I happen to love very much. And who I full well realize will not be around forever.

I hate the fact that parents grow old. I hate the fact that I will never (at least not in this life) know my parents in their prime, when I am in my prime. Wouldn't life be grand if parents would only age to a certain level and then you could know them on more of a 'peer' basis? And aging would just..... stop....?

I look forward to the eternal life that the Bible promises believers, where we will each be given a new and perfect body; one that does not succumb to disease, death or aging.... one that is not crippled by physical ailments, or flawed by mental illness. What a wonderful, amazing new world it will be.

I greatly look forward to seeing each of my grandparents, who I only have foggy memories of. In fact, I can't wait to get to really know them.

And I won't even get started about how excited I am about being in the presence of Jesus, because then this blog will go on ALL NIGHT, and I'm already starting to cry a bit as I write this.
But, suffice it to say, despite life's sadness, there's the promise of much, much beauty and joy that lies for us on the other side. Beauty, happiness, and completion for our souls, I guess is the best way to put it. And that completion will SO make whatever trials we endured while here on earth seem so very insignificant.

Logan, the Sky Angel Cowboy

Get your Kleenex out before you watch the below clip. It's a tear jerker.
The wisdom this little boy possesses is far beyond his years.
As they say, "...out of the mouths of babes..."

http://www.godtube.com/view_video.php?viewkey=d5d4ee2c067a456e7c0f