I am reminded this past weekend on how precious our lives
are. How in a moment or instant we can be gone. Just with a snap of our fingers
one person has probably passed away in this world. We hear statistics like:
every minute that passes some one had died from AIDS, 1 in 4 babies will die
from something really common – note these are made up statistics. But you get
my point right? As I am writing this blog there may have been 10 people who
have died right now in this world. I’m not saying its statistically correct or
true but just think about it…
Some of us look at this and say wow, that is crazy then move
on with life. Some of us will look at it and want to make a difference in the
world and create a cause or awareness. Some of us will just stop and take time
to pray.
But death really affects us when it happens to a family
member, a family friend, someone we work with, someone who we see everyday.
When it does we become sad. We go through the grieving stages and then slowly,
painfully move on in life. We have to because we cannot bring that person back
to this earth – no matter how hard we try, its impossible.
I realized though how precious our lives were when I found
out that a girl I worked with at a previous job just passed away. I was in
total shock and in total disbelief. I couldn’t believe what was going on – to
know that someone who is younger than I is gone in just an instant. But this
gave me flashbacks of the horrific phone calls I got 4 years ago this coming
September, phone calls that rocked my life.
The first phone call was from my roommate’s mom, telling me
that there was a car accident and my sister was involved. There were 3 other
girls in the car and they were all rushed to the hospital unknowing of the
conditions but it was a bad accident. I hung up the phone and prayed. I prayed
that God would keep them safe and that everyone in the car would be safe and
okay. That everyone would be alive. As tears were rolling down my face the
second phone call came and it was my dad. He tells me my sister was all right
but her best friend died, her best friend who I worked with for the entire summer
and was gone. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to hear it. I thought
everything was fake. And as my dad and I hung up the phone I screamed to the top
of my lungs “WHY HER GOD!” “WHY!”
I was mad, I was frustrated, I was in denial, I was upset
with God. I just didn’t understand why. She was a good kid, she was an amazing
woman, why her?
Which brings me back to this weekend – Why her God?
We will never understand the reasons why. We will never
understand why the people we love; the people we know leave us. We never will
get the answers we are looking for.
I was really thinking this weekend about the young girls
family. What they are going through and I just cannot imagine what it is like
to know that a loved one is not going to walk through those doors again, to not
say another ‘hello’ or an ‘I love you’ ever again. It almost happened to my
family and tears roll down my face to ever think that I could have lost a
sister.
We can never imagine what a family goes through when they
lose a loved one, which brings me back to our lives being so precious.
We look at life and we sometimes, or most of the time, take
it for granted. We do what we want and don’t have a care in the world what we
do in this world. As long as we are living we are okay. But should we really
take life for granted? Or live life to the fullest?
Shouldn’t we live a life where we do the best we can
everyday to bring glory to God. To make Him happy for what we are doing in this
world. In my view of life we should do what we can to bring people to God so
that people can see how much He loves us. To make a difference in people’s
lives, helping them through the struggles and the hardships. Making a
difference in this world and showing that there are people who care and best of
all that there is a God that cares for us.
Death is such a hard topic because it is so painful but a
question that I have challenged myself with this weekend is:
“Do you want to live a life where people will remember what
you did and will leave an impact in this world when you are gone?”
or
“Do you want to live a life that you just wasted and not leave a mark in this world?”
God wants me to dream big and I will continue to dream big
and do what I can for Him each and every day. I will thank Him for a new day
and do the best I can for Him everyday. This is just another reminder (even
though it is sad) to live our lives to the fullest and give Him everything we’ve
got each and every day. Know that through these sad times in our lives that God
will comfort you and will always be there for you.
Cherish the moments, cherish the days and most of all
cherish your life.
