Live As If It Were Your Last

I was watching a sermon today on television about living each day as if it were your last. What would you say or do differently if you knew you only had a few days left to live? It is such a profound concept but it is so true and we all really should try to live each day as if it were our last. You cannot take worldly things with you so if you could what would you do?

They talked about loving and going beyond what you typically do. They of course talked about the passages in Corrinthians and a few other passages from John. The passages referenced love and also allowing God to show through what it is that you do on a daily basis and loving one another as God loved us. They meant to love everyone, not just your family or friends, and what a profound thought process to begin. Take the time to really think about how you treat those around you...if you knew you only had a few days to live would you speak nicer to people or would you act differently?

There was a story of a young man and his wife and how they found themselves intertwined in the lives of strangers without really knowing it. They went to a large church and ran into another couple who they did not really know personally but said hello and briefly talked about how they were financially trying to situate themselves(after this was a project going on at their church) and how they planned to adopt after they finally got themselves situated although their children wanted a trampoline. They all laughed and went on their way. The next day the other couple showed up to their house with the trampoline for the kids. They were taken back by the other couples kindness and were so grateful and so were the kids.

A few days later that same couple emailed the family again about wanting to come by and speak with them one more time. The family thought that it was going to be a marketing project where they wanted them to sell stuff and really just tried to avoid the whole thing. When they could no longer avoid it the figured they would just give in and told them to come over. This couple got to their house and handed this family a check for 10,000 to pay off the things they needed to so that they would be free to adopt another child(they already had 4 of their own, were not well off but very loving parents) This family did not know what to say and did not want to take the money but did.

12 months later this family adopted a little girl. Much to their surprise, the check that was written to them was written on or around the day that their new daughter would have been conceived. It was as if God knew this child was coming into the world and would need them and set things in place to make it happen long before they knew this. Without the generosity of the couple this family never would have made that happen and would have been waiting and may have even been in really bad financial shape and not be able to even consider adopting even if they felt the pull to do such. Months before they even knew it God was weaving their lives together...total strangers. No thanks was needed and this couple asked the family to not disclose their kindness to people and to not treat them any different than before because they did this out of their hearts with no return...loving one another as God loved them. I sat there in tears listening to this story.

We have known the kindness of strangers and also loved ones and often times I wonder if they truly know how much we really appreciate it. There have been people in our lives who expected things in return and others who wanted nothing, not even a thank you. The gifts given with true love and no strings tend to be the ones that just touch you to the core and you never forget. You can tell when things are done with some sort of want behind them and although they are appreciated it does not have the same meaning. I know that having had both we teach our children to do things with their hearts expecting nothing, not even a thank you in return. We received many different responses to our last fundraiser that we did for the camp that Richard attended.

Not many people thought we should have done it since we were financially a mess ourselves but that was not why we did it. We did it out of the love in our hearts for a stranger that had not yet been in our situation but would someday find themselves in the same position we were needing the support our family got. Without someone elses kindness Richard would not have been able to attend so somewhere in it all we were given a gift by a stranger and continued to do the same for someone else. There are definitely things that I personally can work on and plan to work on for myself to continue to do Gods work. I have had a few things rolling around in my head as to what I want to do to honor George's memory and continue God's work and had a good idea this morning that I am going to begin working on. Are you doing more than just living? Can you make a difference in someone elses life without expecting something in return? What would you do if you only had a few days left to live? Can you live your life every day as if it were your last? If you died tomorrow would you be happy with the legacy you have left behind?

I challenge you to find someone you can help without expecting something of them. Don't just make a donation to some unknown organization just because it is the right thing to do. Don't just join some walk or marathon just to do the right thing. Truly put your heart into it and find a way to make a difference in someones life directly. You will be surprised how much different the feeling you have inside truly is. Make things personal, somewhere we have really lost that personal touch that comes with life and truly loving one another as God loved us.

God gave us the most precious gift ever, it wasn't easy and did not come without struggle for him. Where would we be if God decided that he really going to contribute only part of himself to the world and people he created? What if he decided that giving his son was too much and just decided to forgo that, where would we be? I know how great a sacrifice that is and I don't know if I could do it willingly...my son was taken without my consent. Think if the meaning of that and the promise that Christ dying on the cross truly means to each of us. Because of God's gift, I will see my son again someday and that alone is such a blessing and a gift that comes without measure. I'm glad that he didn't take the easy way out...nothing worth doing comes easy. He had everything, he didn't need to do it, but selflessly gave of himself to change our lives.

Are you really doing all that you can? If so great but if not what do you have to change? I think all of us have something we can do to make this world better. It doesn't have to cost anything and even if finances are tight you can still make a difference. Find something that speaks to your heart and stand behind it and give it your all. There is always someone in a better or a worse position than we are so we always have room to help or make a difference for someone. I truly believe this is what is meant when we are to love one another as God loved us.

In my heart I also believe that this was part of George returning to heaven so soon. He has touched so many lives and by keeping this web page and talking about it that I am in some way making the difference in the lives of others on his behalf. I believe I am called to share this path so that others can be touched or even just understand in a way that they never have been before. It all gives meaning to his life/death and helps me to be a better person and make a mark on this world through the small things. I know when my day comes I can stand before God and say that I did all I could to make a difference in this world. I'm quite proud of the person I am and the people that my children are becoming as they follow through example and now give unconditionally of themselves. We are living examples of God's love and need to act in a way that others recognize his love through us even if they don't believe or know him in a way we do. Often times we never know why things happen the way they do but have to find the trust and faith in God to know it is part of his way to weave our lives to create a beautiful masterpiece that entwines all our lives in some way.

If you are not living life as if it were your last day, begin to do so and find a place where you can make a difference in the world...when you stand before your maker can you stand with pride and say that you did what he called you to do? Did you exemplify his love and show this to others? I know I want to be able to do that the day he calls me home.