Tomorrow? Next Week?

If you knew that next week would be your final week on earth, what would you do? My life, prior to this year, has been relatively untouched by death. God has blessed me with good health along with those closest to me. However, in the last ten months, Mark has been to the hospital via 911 on two occasions and my mother died suddenly as the result of a fall. Life is fragile and uncertain. Even as we read in the Psalms there are no guarantees: Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Psalm 90:10 (NLT) Maybe an upcoming significant birthday is another reason for some reflection and introspection. So, back to the original question. After some pondering, I know that I would like to be able to have written that she always tried to do what was right. Family, friends, and country – those who know me best – would understand that my loyalty and love was steadfast. My choice would be to leave with no regrets – no unsaid apologies, no hard feelings, and always expressing my love. And, I want to take the risk to experience some of those things that only seem like a dream – publishing a book, speaking at a conference, watching my granddaughters grow and carry the mantle to do greater things. Who are the people who need to hear from you? What are the areas of risk that you have pulled back from due to fear? What fun things are you missing because you are in a rut? Each day is a blessing from our Father that cannot be taken for granted. Grab hold and live it to the fullest. I am not a huge country music fan but I think Tim McGraw got it right in the lyrics of his song, Live Like You Were Dyin':

He said I was in my early 40‘s,
With a lot of life before me,
And a moment came that stopped me on a dime.
I spent most of the next days, lookin‘ at the x-rays,
Talkin‘ ‘bout the options and talkin‘ ‘bout sweet time.
Asked him when it sank in, that this might really be the real end.
How‘s it hit ya, when you get that kind of news.
Man what ya do.
And he says,

I went sky divin‘,
I went rocky mountain climbin‘,
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fu Manchu.
And I loved deeper,
And I spoke sweeter,
And I gave forgiveness I‘ve been denying,
And he said someday I hope you get the chance,
To live like you were dyin‘.

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 goin‘ fishing,
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.
And then.

I went sky divin‘,
I went rocky mountain climbin‘,
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fu Manchu.
And I loved deeper,
And I spoke sweeter,
And I gave forgiveness I‘ve been denying,
And he said someday I hope you get the chance,
To live like you were dyin‘.

Like tomorrow was a gift
and you‘ve got eternity
to think about what to do with it
What did ya do with it?
What did I do with it?
What would I do with it?

Sky divin‘,
I went rocky mountain climbin‘,
I went 2.7 seconds on a bull name Fu Manchu.
And I loved deeper,
And I spoke sweeter,
And I watched an eagle as it was flyin‘.
And he said someday I hope you get the chance,
To live like you were dyin‘.

To live like you were dyin‘.
To live like you were dyin‘.
To live like you were dyin‘.
To live like you were dyin‘.

I just read a quote from Tony Snow, the press secretary for President Bush who is suffering from a recurrance of colon cancer. He said, "God hasn't promised us tomorrow, but he has promised us eternity." Right on!

And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. Philippians 1:20-21 (NLT)