Gotta Live Like We're Dying

      "We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
       Turn it all around or to throw it all away
       We gotta tell them that we love them
       While we got the chance to say
       Gotta live like we're dying"
      -Lyrics from Kris' Allen's song "Live Like We're Dying"   

What if today was my last day here on earth? 

 
This thought came across my mind yesterday as I drove home from the grocery store with my boys. I absolutely love the remake by Kris Allen, "Live Like We're Dying" because each time I hear it I ponder my life and ask myself the question, "Am I living my life like it could be my last day?" As I turned around I saw my kids rockin' to the music (The boys & I are known to bop our heads to songs I LOVE and jam out with our windows down!!) and then my son noticed a rainbow in the sky. As we drove on we seemed to be getting closer to it while the colors became even more vibrant. At the next stop light I glanced a few lanes over only to see a person with their smart phone taking a picture of it. Then another car pulled up with the driver, looking straight ahead, completely missing the beautiful creation of God right in front of them.  Isn't that how we are with life sometimes? Missing the true beauty right before us because we are so focused on what lies a head or behind us. We are so busy planning tomorrow that we miss today.  In James 4:14 it says, "How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog - it's here a little while, then it's gone." It has been mentioned from the pulpit, that as we leave church there is no guarantee we will be back the next week. What a thought, huh? 

How would my life change?

What would your day look like? What task would you be sure to do or complete? What friend would you treat to a coffee and try to reconnect with?  How would you respond in conflict and who would you forgive? What wounded relationship would you be sure to mend? Would you serve Christ more knowing you would be seeing him face to face sooner than expected? Would you write a note of encouragement to that person struggling with life? Would you give some food/cash to the man always asking at that light you pass each day? Would you judge less and assume the best? Would you have more patience with your kids? Would you go back in their room tonight with extra hugs & kisses to tell them how much you love them? Would you be sure to praise them for all the amazing attributes God placed within them? Would you smile at that neighbor with the stinky attitude who doesn't really deserve it? Would you tell someone who is lost about the love of Christ and eternal life? Would you....you fill in the blank.


The Somber Reality is...

Each time I rock out to that song there is a somber reality as I am reminded there is no guarantee for my tomorrow. It makes me think about my life and ponder how I'm living it. It makes me hunger that same Holy Spirit boldness to serve and pray with a complete stranger, in need of a friend, as Tammy shared. I want to be one who listens to the prompting of the Lord's still small voice as Teresa talked about. I want to be the mom who sees the amazing God-given qualities my kids possess, that stretch and challenge my faith some days, and trust HE is going to do great things with them like Joannie spoke of. I want to ask God what my main focus should be in this season of my life and hunker down and follow it as Maggie touched on. I want to prioritize and invite the Lord into my day, and agree to set aside some daily "closet time" like Courtney mentioned.  I want to have patience for His will to unfold for my life, and trust Him through the process knowing He has my best interest in mind like Tracey explained. I want to share with the lost, who hunger to fill "their void with temporal things", about the One who will fill every need until their cup runs over. As I write this I am realizing there is still so much I want to do before I go home to be with Jesus. At the end of my life I want to hear Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" I am a work in progress and I am grateful He continues to teach me, with love, in the areas I struggle in, while providing GRACE as I learn. I've got a long way to go but I am so thankful for songs that convict and compel us to grow in our walk with Christ....especially if we can rock out to it in the process!


"Yeah, we gotta start
Looking at the hands of the time we've been given
If this is all we got and we gotta start thinking
If every second counts on a clock that's ticking
Gotta live like we're dying"

Challenge:
 
(1)Grab two note cards/ sticky notes and jot these down......
    (a) "Live Like I am Dying"  and post it on your bathroom mirror :)
    (b)  James 4:14- "How do you know what will happen tomorrow? 
          For your life is like the morning fog, it's here a little while, then it's gone." 
          Put this card somewhere you will see throughout your day...
          maybe on your car dash board (Not covering the gas gauge!) 
          or work desk, as a daily reminder that life is short...and the 
          Lord wants to do great things
          in and through you until He calls you home!
(2) Watch and see how your life becomes vibrant like the rainbow where others stare in wonder at the amazing gift in His creation...you!

Click the video below, or this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbfeSImDntw, and enjoy the song that inspired this post and... decide today to "live like you're dying"....

Firm Foundation

Hi! My name is Tammy. I am the blessed Mommy of 2 amazing little girls, Selah, 2, and Susannah, 8 mos. I am happily married to my best friend Rick since 2006. Both Rick and I work in Christian education. I taught elementary school up until the birth of our first daughter. I am now blessed to be a stay at home mommy. I love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and pray daily for wisdom and humility to be the mother He has called me to be.






A while back, my husband bought Selah a beginner's set of building blocks, the large ones that connect. As we watched Selah attempt to build up a tower, we noticed she was growing increasingly frustrated as the blocks would tumble over without a strong base to support them. So, we sat down, took a few of the larger blocks, and showed her how to build a foundation. It has now become a regular part of block time. Selah will hand us a few of the larger blocks and say “Mommy/Daddy foundation?”, and we will help get her started by laying down a foundation of blocks for her to build upon. Now, she has even started to build her own foundation in the way we have shown her.


I have often seen Ephesians 6:4 referenced in not mocking or speaking cruelly to your children as well as not disciplining harshly in anger. Through this interaction with our daughter, I began to see exasperating/provoking your children to wrath (depending on translation) in a new light. By not setting a firm foundation for the blocks, Selah became frustrated by her inability to build a solid structure. By not laying down a ‘faith foundation’ we would not be preparing our children to build and lead solid lives. What we model for them and teach them now all lays the foundation for what kind of lives they will live. They absorb and imitate everything we do from our words and attitudes, to the way we discipline, our interactions with our spouse and others, etc. as they develop their own character.



The word used for instruction/admonition- nouthesia means literally, "a putting in mind". The sense here is, that we are to put them in mind of the Lord - of his existence, perfections, law, and claims on their hearts and lives. (Barnes’ Notes on the Bible) That is the foundation we are to lay for our children, a mindset of knowledge and faith in Jesus Christ. We do this by living lives that honor God, being role models for our children to look to. We pray with our children, instruct them in the Bible, and teach them to behave in a manner that honors the Lord. As they grow, we expect them to make choices to do this without our guidance. But if we don't show them how, it is illogical to expect them to do it on their own, much like handing a 2 year old a set of blocks and expecting her to build a magnificent tower.





No matter what age your children are, it is never too late to teach them how to build or rebuild a solid life on the foundation of God's Word. You can start by building your own and living by example. God is the Master Architect, and He has an unbelievable blueprint for your life and the lives of your children! (Jeremiah 29:11)



Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to put You in my mind and in the minds of my children. I pray that my husband and I will lay a firm, Christ-centered foundation for our children to build their lives upon. Please help me to keep this in mind and be intentional in my daily interactions, discipline, and instruction. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.




For Meditation and Action:

• What kind of faith foundation are you laying for your children?
• Are you admonishing (putting them in the mind of the Lord) your children on a daily basis?
• What is one area you can commit to working on this week to strengthen their foundation? (Set aside 'praise-only' prayer time, Choose a verse of the week to memorize and apply as a family, Select a Bible story of the week to read, retell, illustrate, etc.)