Reality Check

One minute you’re here
Next minute you’re gone    Bruce Springsteen

Grace and peace.  I hope everyone is well.

Some posts are easier to write than others.  This one is particularly difficult, because I have run out of words.  Well, that’s not entirely true.  I just don’t know what to say these days.  I could talk about the election, about how glad I am that it’s over and that it’s time to move on, but apparently it’s not over.  No matter what I say, my words would just add more fuel to the fire of division in our country and that’s the last thing I want to do.  What’s happening right now makes me exceedingly sad.

But, I’m not going to talk about the election.  I want to talk about something far more important.

On Monday I had the privilege of taking part in a funeral for a young man who tragically died in an automobile accident.  As you can imagine when someone dies so unexpectedly, especially someone so young (21), emotions run very high. And he died only two days after the election, so people’s emotions were already running pretty high. I wasn’t sure what to expect before the funeral, but in the end l was able to take away two very important lessons.

Lesson #1:  The importance of community.  There were approximately 400 people at the funeral.  In the days prior, the family had been visited by 50-60 people each evening.  People came to help and show their love and support (and bring food).  There was no talk of liberals and conservatives, red and blue states, or questions about party membership.  Those things just weren’t important.  What was important was sharing one another’s grief.  It just proved that we are connected at a deeper level than political affiliation.  Love trumps everything (no pun intended).  If there is any hope for the future of this country, it lays in our love for one another.  As Scripture says –

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!  (Psalm 133)

Lesson #2:  Live today.  There are no guarantees in this life, other than that it will eventually end.  It could end years from now or in a matter of minutes.  It could come after a long illness or in the blink of an eye.  Only God knows.  So, make the most of the time you are given.  Don’t wait for some future moment that may never come.  If you are unhappy, make some changes now.  Life is too short to be miserable.  Life is too short to be angry. Life is too short to take for granted.  Going forward, I hope to never use the words killing time or wasting time to describe what I’m doing.

Life isn’t always perfect.  Life isn’t always happy.  Sometimes things go horribly, terribly wrong.  But, every minute of life is a gift.  Look for the blessings that life holds; I promise you they are there.  Sometimes you just have to look a little harder to see them.

God bless you and keep you well.  Hug your kids. And wear that mask – it’s not about politics; it’s about love.