Sunday morning, God placed a thought in my head and I haven't been able to let it go.
Lately, there have been many people who have faced terrible situations. Some of these things were just freak accidents, like in JoJo's case. Here's naming a few more: a precious child's life was lost in a car accident, a child lost his life in an ATV accident while not wearing a helmet (which could have totally been avoided), and a 6-month-old died and his mother injured in New York after being hit by a falling tree limb during a trip to the zoo. While one of these accidents could've been avoided, others not so much.
These things could happen to ANY of us.
I know we aren't supposed to live in fear, and sometimes I find it very difficult not to be afraid. The world we live in can be a scary place. Now that I have a child, I find myself worrying and fretting about how I'll keep him safe from harm.
Tangible and intangible harm.
Physical and emotional.
It worries me that my child will one day be a teenager. It is MY responsibility to teach him how to make good decisions. It's SOLELY my responsibility. I am the one who will have to persuade him to: stay away from drugs/alcohol... to choose his friends wisely... to put God first... and to save himself for ONE WOMAN on his wedding night.
This scares me.
But, heck... it scares me more that in a few years, I'll send him off to school, to spend ALL DAY without ME!!!
Needless to say, I become a complete basketcase when I spend my time "thinking" too much.
I simply have to tell myself that Jason and I will do the BEST we possibly can to be a good example for him as he grows up. That's our job as Christians, right?
This brings me to my main point... this is what I pondered all weekend.
What will people remember about me when I'm gone?
What IF.... today was my last day on this Earth?
What IF... I got in my car today and never returned?
What IF... God called me home tomorrow?
I want to be remembered for something good.
I want to be remembered for the example I set for my friends, family, and child.
Was I a good friend? Was I a good wife? Was I a good mother? Did I help others? Did I teach my child to be a responsible person? Did I set a good example?
Did I love enough?
AND THIS IS HOW I KNEW IT WAS A WORD... my devotion for Sunday, June 27th read:
“Don’t just do the minimum that will get you by.” Col 3:23
ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST
One of Michelangelo’s greatest masterpieces was his sculpture of David. He worked on it with such passion that he often slept in his clothes, resenting the time it took to take them off and put them on again. He repeatedly examined and measured the marble to see what pose it could accommodate. He made hundreds of sketches of possible attitudes, and detailed drawings from models. He tested his ideas in wax on a small scale, and only when he was satisfied did he pick up his chisel and mallet. He approached the painting of the Sistine Chapel with the same intensity. Lying at uncomfortable angles on hard boards, breathing the suffocating air just under the vault, he suffered from inflamed eyes and skin irritation from the plaster dust. For the next four years he literally sweated in physical distress – but look at what he produced! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” If you’re not passionate about what you do, find something you can be passionate about! Don’t just strive to make money, strive to make a difference. Significance should be your goal, not survival. Paul gives us the ultimate reason for always giving our best: “Don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best… Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.” (23-24)
ALWAYS GIVE YOUR BEST
One of Michelangelo’s greatest masterpieces was his sculpture of David. He worked on it with such passion that he often slept in his clothes, resenting the time it took to take them off and put them on again. He repeatedly examined and measured the marble to see what pose it could accommodate. He made hundreds of sketches of possible attitudes, and detailed drawings from models. He tested his ideas in wax on a small scale, and only when he was satisfied did he pick up his chisel and mallet. He approached the painting of the Sistine Chapel with the same intensity. Lying at uncomfortable angles on hard boards, breathing the suffocating air just under the vault, he suffered from inflamed eyes and skin irritation from the plaster dust. For the next four years he literally sweated in physical distress – but look at what he produced! Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “If a man is called to be a street sweeper he should sweep streets as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.’” If you’re not passionate about what you do, find something you can be passionate about! Don’t just strive to make money, strive to make a difference. Significance should be your goal, not survival. Paul gives us the ultimate reason for always giving our best: “Don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best… Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ.” (23-24)
WOW....very powerful thoughts and something that really makes you think! Having children is a very big responsiblity. I still remember the 1st day I sent Morgan to K5 - I cried all the way to work. But she had a wonderful first day and she has grown so much since then. So true...we have to teach them and set good examples for them!
ReplyDeleteAnd Carolyn...you are a wonderful friend!! And looking at Jase you can tell that you and Jason are great parents to him! He is truly blessed! :-)