My dear friend and avid facebook friend, Shelia Bobo, posted something the other day that I want to expound on a bit.
These were her words:
" Have you ever stopped to realize that all of us, or most of us anyway, will no longer be here in 100 years or even 50 years...some of us 20 years. Do we really understand how short that is? Time passes so fast, it is incredible. So what then do we need to do with this short amount of time left? For me...be close, no be very close to your family, cherish your best friends, tell those you love that you love them and forgive those who have caused you pain. After all, we would want to be forgiven. Please think about this and figure out your own answers. What is truly important for you to do with the time you have left in your life?"
So as Mrs. Sheila expressed, "think about this," well I did think about this....I thought about it a lot.
It's crazy how God can show up in any place. Quick story: One of my good friends here in Cookeville knows a girl who was helping with a benefit river float for a woman who had major complications with her pregnancy. She is now paralyzed from her waist down and in wheelchair. We all loaded up our kayaks and attended this wonderful event. When we finished our float, there was a meal, silent auction and live entertainment. As we got our food, there were no tables left, so we sat on the front row next to the stage. A young woman and her husband were seated to the left of the stage. When the band stopped performing, the young woman made her way to the stage. She and the woman that the benefit was for had met while they were both in Vanderbilt hospital. She began to tell her story:
She had a 4 year old and a new born baby. Her mom had come in town to help with the baby like most most mothers do after a baby is born. She, her mom and the 2 children were driving to the mall one day. A man driving, who was under the influence of marijuana, hit them head on at almost 100 miles per hour. While she was talking about this story, it was so emotional. She then stated that her mom and the 4 year old did not make it through this tragic accident, but that herself and the baby survived. WOW!! This hit me like a ton of bricks. You never know when God is going to call us home. Her faith telling this story was unbelievable.
After driving home that night, I got in bed and began to think about this tragic situation. It made me realize how much my family and friends mean to me. So often we get caught up in ourselves, our jobs and every day life that we forget to let the ones we love know how much they mean to us. You can never say it enough. The older I get, the more I realize how short life really is.
I want to encourage all of you to do 3 simple things every day that will help make a difference and help spread God's love to all those we meet:
1. Call or text someone that you haven't talked to in a while. Each morning when I wake up, I look through my phone and pick out one person to text to have a great day.
2. Leave someone a little note at work, or a piece of candy or something to make them smile. Remember, we all have bad days, but we have a choice as how we handle it. Don't let circumstances determine if you have a good or bad day. Each day we have is a gift and another day to make a difference....never forget that.
3. Have a little devotion each morning. It's so important to start your day right. Be disciplined in doing this too. God wants our time so He can use us for his purpose. Pray! Shine your light!!
I hope this has challenged you to look at your life. Cherish each day because we never know if it could be our last. Be a Spark! Dream! Forgive! Love! and Pray!
****Thank you Mrs. Sheila for your daily words of encouragment! You have always been one of the sweetest ladies I know. Blessed to call you a friend! Thank you for letting me share this. We often forget the simple and try to make things complicated.
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