Live Like There’s No Tomorrow
A few weeks ago, my friend’s 11-year-old daughter died suddenly of a cancerous brain tumor. One day she was just living normal life, and then all of a sudden she started having headaches, started vomiting, became unresponsive, was rushed to the hospital, transferred to a different hospital, operated on, and then she went to be with the Lord. All in a matter of days. Three days.
I was heartbroken for our friends, losing their youngest child in such a sudden and traumatic way. It was another instance and realization that life is so short, so fragile.
I’ve been meditating on this a lot lately. It seems like life is just speeding by. I really can’t stand being overly busy, and yet that seems to be the way things have been the past few months.
Our children had been having a bit too much screen time, and while it was educational and wholesome screen time (they don’t get on the Internet), still it was too much. So, we cut way back on it. I made a little schedule of who could be on the computer and when. And chores must come before that, too. The results of that decision have been dramatic. Creativity and imagination have returned!
Today I noticed my two boys (ages 12 and almost-6) outside. They came in with these weird-looking bunches of berries. They assured me that Dad had told them it was okay to eat these and that they eat them all the time. I wanted to make sure, so we went to look in the “wild edibles” book, and, sure enough, red sumac is safe to eat.
They decided on their own to make Sumac Lemonade, which they had read about in the wild edibles book.
It was the cutest thing, watching them working so hard on their concoction.
And here is the finished Sumac Lemonade:
They drank glasses of it over ice, and told me proudly how good it was. I tasted it, and it was actually pretty good! And to think, they would have missed this fun real-life learning experience if they had been glued to a screen.
Everything in my daily life lately has been pointing to the fact that I’m in need of less screen time too. I can sense in my spirit that I need a break from all the busyness and information overload.
I’ve been reading my way through these books on my summer reading list, and they’re all impacting me in different but harmonious ways.
31 Days to a Happy Husband (which I finished today) encouraged me to focus on my marriage and loving my husband. Hands Free Mama encourages me to focus on being present in the everyday moments with my children. Hudson Taylor’s Spiritual Secret exhorts me to put all my trust in a loving Heavenly Father and to serve Him with a heart full of faith. And Own Your Life encourages me to be intentional in the way I live out each day.
I want to live each day like it may be my last. I just don’t want to miss out on anything or take my life for granted. So, I’ve decided it’s time for another break from blogging. As I’ve been thinking and praying about it, the words to this song keep playing over and over in my mind:
Good to Be Alive
by Jason Gray
Hold on
Is this really the life I am living?
‘Cause I don’t feel like I deserve it
Every day that I wake and every breath that I take You’ve given
So right here, right now
While the sun is shining down
I wanna live like there’s no tomorrow
Love like I’m on borrowed time
It’s good to be alive
Hold on
If the life that we’ve been given
Is made beautiful in the living
And the joy that we get brings joy to the heart of the giver
Then right here, right now
This is the song I’m singing out
I wanna live like there’s no tomorrow
Love like I’m on borrowed time
It’s good to be alive
I won’t take it for granted
I won’t waste another second
All I want is to give You
A life well lived, to say, “Thank You”
Here’s a link to the video if you want to watch it. I also enjoyed watching the “song diary” for this song. It was neat to find out that his family homeschools. 🙂
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Thank you for the reminder to be intentional. Sometimes I get lost in whirl of appts. and activities.
I know, it's hard not to get caught up in all the activity, especially as the children get older. I think my older children are causing me to crave a more intentional life–the time with them is so short!
Just so right on! Beautiful, Joy!
Thank you, sweet friend! ♥
Enjoy your break. May you feel refreshed, alive, feel a purpose that is worthy of all God has meant for you to be and to do. God bless and thank you for your wonderful posts! 🙂
Thank you! 🙂
It's not "Good-Bye", it's just, "Until next time."
Hugs! 🙂
Yes, hopefully! 🙂
I hope you have a rejuvenating hiatus from blogging. I will miss your posts; I have been enjoying them so much. My plan was to break from all media (other than necessary online business) for the month of August, but, but, but. Today is the last day of July, and I don't know!
Thank you, Myra! I know, it's hard to get away, isn't it?
So sorry to hear about your friends little girl
Thank you for all that you share
I understand the need to step back and take stock -life is so very precious
I will miss you-take care
Blessings to you and your family
♥Fiona
Thank you, Fiona! Blessings to you also. ♥
What a heartfelt post, and just what I needed. Your blog has been a blessing and I hope you enjoy every moment with your family on your break from blogging. Life is way too short, and precious.
Blessings,
Sara
Thank you, Sara!