Mortality is a fact we don’t like to face! Sunday I will be attending a viewing of my mother’s best friend, who passed last Saturday. This lady dedicated her life to serving the Lord, and has lived a full life surrounded by people who respect and love her. Though she never married, through her teaching she has a plethora of children of all ages. It is times like these we can’t help but reflect on our own lives and wonder how we will be remembered. My mom has been gone for six months, and I am still in a period of adjustment. I would love to hear her voice again, or glean some of her words of wisdom and encouragement.
That is when I had an epiphany, and I am going to give each and every one of you a challenge today. Since mortality is a fact none of us want to face, and would like putting it off indefinitely, it remains there staring us in the face. So, I challenge you to: Sit down and write a letter to each person who is left in your life. Not all at once, this will take some time, and be sure to make it personal to each and every one of them. As the years pass, you may have to update some of the letters, others you may want to put into a family Bible, or to slip discretely into a loved one’s casket. I would love nothing more than to have a tangible, personal, letter I could take out and read of my mother’s encouragement and wisdom. She was always very good about writing thank you notes, but I would love to hear what she thought of me, if I made her proud, happy etc. These letters can be kept in dresser drawers, jewelry boxes or any other place they will be easily found at a later date. You can add a memory of something your child did when they were young that made you laugh, or how proud you were of them when they graduated. Life is often described as the dash between the dates of birth and death, and none of us have a lock on tomorrow.
So my challenge is take time to write a couple of love notes to everyone. We only have today, let those around you know the things you were unable to verbilize. Please don’t think this a morbid thing to do, love notes should never be perceived as such. Things can be said in letters we can’t say in person, maybe a long overdue apology or letter of forgiveness. You may think, “They don’t care what I think or feel,” but you are wrong! Everyone cares, even if they are too proud or too dumb to admit it. This is your challenge, leave a hug for everyone you love in an envelope.
As parents it is our job to make our children understand there is a loving God who has a plan for each and every one of us. Some of us will live long and some lives will be short, but God never makes mistakes. Teach them to rejoice in each and every day and to be thankful for every blessing in their lives. Never let them take time or people for granted, every minute is a gift.
We as authors can trip the lite fantastic on paper, but in real life communications, you can become tongue tied. This challenge shouldn’t be that hard for you, so what is stopping you? Give thanks for each and every day with a grateful heart!
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
Job 14:5
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
James 4:14
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms 90:12