Anyone else love this haunting song by The Band Perry? It’s so beautiful and sweet and yet so sobering and makes you think a lot about what you would want to tell others if you too died young.
I’m not really “young” anymore. So, it may sound dumb to write a post called “If I die young . . .” Girl. You’re approaching the “middle ages”. You’re in your late 30s… A hop skip and a jump away from 40 and long past your teens and 20s. You ain’t “young” by today’s standards… But, I feel young. I feel like my life is just beginning in many ways. I’m excited for my children’s futures and watching them become adults and I’m excited to grow old with my husband and perhaps travel or be able to spend more time partnering in ministry together. I’ve got lots of dreams and plans. And God is WELL-aware because I talk about them all the time. He knows I would like to stay here for a long while so I can do as much good as I can before my time comes… However…
This life is not mine. These people I adore, they are not mine. We all belong to God and someday, He’s going to call me home. And the truth is none of us can know for sure when that will be. For a girl who loves to have a plan, this is hard :).
But, if God decides it’s time for me to come home before I’m old and gray… here’s a few things I would like to say…
- Stop what you’re doing right now and go eat a piece of good dark chocolate and drink a cup of coffee. Do this preferably in your favorite cozy spot with a good book or fabulous reality TV show playing on TV. My dark chocolate, coffee, “Real Housewives” moments on the couch soothe my soul and I would love if you took a moment each day to do whatever it is that lets your brain unplug and your nerves chill out. We all need a minute!
This wildly overgrown spot in my backyard is my favorite. When the sunset peaks through, it just takes my breath away.
- Donate to your local Crisis Pregnancy Center. I haven’t talked about this much on this blog, but my friends and family know how passionate I am about supporting this cause. Women in crisis pregnancy situations need love and support.
- Don’t send flowers when I’m gone. Please. Flowers die and someone has to find a place to take them. It ends up being a huge job for the family. Please don’t give my family more to deal with!
- That thing that’s robbing your sleep right now? Chances are, it won’t matter a year from now. Keep that in perspective.
- Stop worshiping your things. Stop making your home into a Chip and Joanna Museum. Let your kids eat in the living room. Don’t freak out over the smudges and crumbs and stains and dust. If you’re house and car look “lived in”, then great! That means you’re living.
- “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5. Be the light in the darkness. Crawl in the trenches with the hurting and love. Don’t say you’ll pray and then gossip about their situation. LOVE on them. TALK to them.
Not Today, MS 