JANUARY 30, 2018

“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.” 
― Henry David Thoreau

EXODUS 22-24

21“Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt.

22“Do not take advantage of the widow or the fatherless. 23If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.(22:21-22)

MATTHEW 20:17-34

24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. 25Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

JOURNAL 

Recently with all the sickness and flu and some of the tragic deaths that have resulted...it just makes you aware of the brevity of life. I struggle with this, I want to know that I have plenty of time. I want to know that I'll have plenty of chances to achieve my goals and dreams. 

While I may...there is a chance that I won't. I don't like to think of that...it's depressing. But that is reality. So how am I to live with uncertainty of tomorrow? I think it's a whole lot simpler than I often make it. 

A couple of years ago I wrote down the things I have learned in this life, I think it's worth revisiting...

I've learned that there are no guarantees

That you can't bank on time

I've learned that you can never really walk in someone else's shoes 

so therefore you should never judge them

I've learned that experiences shape our thoughts and our actions

what you do and how you respond has a lot to do with what you learned through experience

I've learned that shame is toxic

It is the biggest threat to suck out all the energy and passion of our lives

I've learned that human beings are miraculous amazing creatures

we are equipped for both profound exquisite good as well as horrible evil

I've learned that most often we underestimate our ability 

therefore we sell ourselves and the good we actually can do way short

I've learned that sunrises and sunsets are amazing

pausing to watch and reflect breathes life into my heart

I've learned that rain is necessary 

and that tears are just as important

I've learned that music is a beautiful crazy gift

to embrace it connects us to others in ways that cannot be explained

I've learned that I would rather play and lose 

than watch and win

I've learned that connecting to another human being is vital

it produces a joy that can never be found alone

I've learned that all most people ever want is to connect and be understood

when it happens heaven is glimpsed...when it doesn't hell is unleashed

I've learned that children can teach us more than any book

yet we often are too distracted to notice

I've learned that the intricacies and details of this world are beyond words

the profound creativity convinces my heart of a creator

I've learned that truth and love conquer all

maybe not in the moment but definitely in the end

I've learned that every moment we are alive is a gift

to understand this produces passion, peace and joy and to 

fully embrace it means we live each moment in daring bold ways

I've learned that there is no better time than right here, right now, to create, to love, to mend,

to cry, to laugh, to hold, to fight, to win, to lose, to dance, to sing and to be overcome by the beauty and epic wonder of this life.

13You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh^a ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”^b 

GALATIANS 5:13-15