Garbage?

Posted: July 26, 2011 in Life
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I recently went to Dunkin Donuts to get some coffee, because… I loves me some good coffee.  When they play those commercials that say, “America runs on Dunkin’” I know they are talking about me!

As I got out of my truck to go in, I saw some garbage, and decided to pick it up and go throw it away.  I threw it away and then headed in for my coffee. Suddenly, I realized that I didn’t have my wallet, so I went back to the truck to get it. But as I went back, I realized that I didn’t have my key to the truck. It wasn’t in my hand, it wasn’t in any of my pockets.  So I got my wallet out of the truck, then I checked all through out the truck, and still… no truck key!

Then, a thought hit me, could I have let the key go when I dumped all of the trash?  So I went to the garbage can, took off the lid, looked into see if I could find my garbage.  I recognized my garbage way down in the receptacle and reached in to pick it up. As I did, I saw it.  My truck key!

Unbelievable!

I was so happy!  However, I couldn’t believe that I just threw away something so valuable, with all of the garbage!

You know, in life it is easy to lose what is most precious, what is most valuable, what is a true treasure because of all of the garbage that can pile up in our lives.  We have the garbage of disappointments, of lost dreams, of broken relationships, of unexpected hardships, of hurts and offenses. Garbage, garbage, garbage!  And when garbage piles up, what is most valuable can be lost.

My truck key is valuable.  Without it, I am not going anywhere.  It doesn’t belong in the garbage.  It belongs with me, in my pocket or in the ignition, being used for the purpose it was created for.

You know what, we are all valuable.  We have all been created by God for a purpose. But, it is easy for us to get lost in the garbage and then, because we are surrounded by garbage, we can begin to feel like garbage.  It is easy to feel thrown away, forgotten, discarded, unusable.

The truth is… you are not garbage.  You are valuable, simply because God created you, died for you, and desires to have a relationship with you.

Check this out:

Luke 15:3-7 NASU
So He told them this parable, saying, “What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?   “When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.   “And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’

And here’s another…

Luke 15:8-10 NASU
“Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?   “When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’   “In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

God looks at each and every one of us as valuable.  To Him, we are like lost sheep to a shepherd, or a lost coin that is worth so much. And just like we read in these biblical parables, God is looking for that which is lost, he is looking for restored relationship with us, His creation.

We are separated because of sin, garbage.  But He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to pay for all of our sins, all of our garbage.  And He loves us in spite of the garbage! In Romans 5:8 we are told that God demonstrates His love for us, in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us.  This is saying that on our worst day, in our worst moment, in our worst failure, God loved us and sent His son to pay the price for our lives.

So, no matter what Garbage you or I may be facing or dealing with, God loves us more than the garbage and is looking to reach into the garbage can and pull us out and hold us in His hands and then postition us in the place of purpose He created us for.

If I Ruled the World!

Posted: July 6, 2011 in Life
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Have you ever sat and daydreamed about what you would do, if you ruled the world. I mean… really ruled the world. Ultimate power, anything you wanted. Whatever you said would be done. I have thought about this and here are a few things I would change:

 First off, broccoli would taste like chocolate. In addition, so would every other vegetable that is supposed to be good for you but is the table nemesis of millions of kids at dinnertime. “Eat your broccoli… it’s good for you!” Well, if it’s so good for me then it should taste good… like chocolate! There is no way that something that tastes that putrid can be good for anything! Just saying! All of you broccoli fans just keep eating away… I’m holding out for the chocolate version… and it’s coming, because I’m going to rule the world!

Second, and I hope I don’t offend anyone with this, just being honest. I would make all “passing of gas” smell like flowers. Wouldn’t that be great?! I mean, no more blaming it on the dog, or on a child or relative. No more nervous stares in the middle of crowded elevators when the smell is passing by. Instead, people would turn to you and say, “Thank you!, I love the smell of roses!”

Next, everyone would be nice. There would be no mean people! Traffic jams would occur only because everyone was preferring each other, not because of road rage. Moreover, the court systems would go extinct because no one would be prosecuted and no one would sue anyone and everyone would just be nice!

Lastly, everyone would be a millionaire. There would be no poverty or lack of food for anyone. There would be no homeless people. There would be no sickness or need for doctors. All disease would be banished.

If I ruled the world, everything would taste good, nothing would smell bad, everyone would be nice, and no one would have a need.

Sounds like heaven doesn’t it? But… I don’t rule the world, and neither do you. But, God does and He has created a real heaven. Heaven…that place sounds real good. No wars, no disease, no evil, no sorrow.

The hard part to understand is, if heaven is so great, then why didn’t God just put us there to begin with? Because this place called earth is no heaven! There is death and disease and mean people and really bad days. So what’s the deal?

Think about this… if I never saw darkness, I would never appreciate light. If someone wasn’t mean to me, then I would never know when someone was being nice. If I had not experienced pain, I would not truly appreciate comfort.

The reality is if I ruled the world I would create a world without consequences and people would basically be robots who just did what I said, because that is the only way I could make everyone be nice and not let there be any pain! God wants a relationship with us… His creation. And He wants us to choose a relationship with Him. But if He makes us choose Him, then we do not have a genuine relationship. So, He gave us all a free will. And in our freedom to choose, we as people sure do bring a lot of pain, and heartache to one another, don’t we? But, we can also choose to follow God. We can choose to receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We can choose to repent, say we are sorry for all of the bad choices we have made with our freedom and we can receive God’s forgiveness. And we can spend eternity in Heaven with Him. Heaven will be full of people who chose God. Who received His gift of forgiveness of sins through His son Jesus Christ. And it will be full of people who can appreciate His love, peace, kindness and forgiveness because they have experienced the pains of life.

The bible says in James 4:14-15, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Our lives on earth are a brief moment in the light of all eternity. And I think we would all love to rule the world and have things our way. But, if we had everything our way, would we really appreciate what we have? Would we truly understand what a gift life is? And would we appreciate God – the true ruler of the world, who in His infinite wisdom does not give us everything we want, but does supply all that we need for now, and is preparing a place for us in Heaven.

5 Days in Joplin

Posted: June 11, 2011 in Life
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On Sunday May 22, 2011, @ 5:41 pm, one of the largest, most devastating  EF-5 tornados on record landed in Joplin MO.  

The almost one-mile-wide tornado touched down for an estimated six ½ minutes and when it was done, around 8000 homes and buildings were destroyed, hundreds were injured and the death toll was climbing. To date, the death toll has reached around 150.

My son Bryce and I just returned from a week of volunteering with the relief effort.  We joined a team from Buffalo and went to work with Franklin Graham’s Disaster Relief Ministry “Samaritan’s Purse”. We spent a week working with hundreds of others from across the nation assisting homeowner’s in the beginning of debris removal and rebuilding. Primarily, we were helping to clean up the mess.  Rebuilding cannot truly start, until the removal of rubble is complete.

Many people have asked me questions about our experiences.  However, one question has prompted me to write down some thoughts about the week I spent in Joplin. The question is simple:

 “Did you feel like you made a difference?”

Good question. Maybe a great question. Perhaps even “THE” question.

As I thought about that question in the light of the week I had just experienced, I could not help but ponder something.  Is that not the question that secretly twists and turns in stealth like fashion through the hearts and minds of every human on the planet. Not just when doing disaster relief work, or being on a missions trip, or working on some type of outreach to our communities. But every day.  Living normal life.  Just getting up and doing what we do, then laying our heads on our pillows at night.

Don’t these questions continue to churn through our being: Am I making a difference?  Does my life count? Did today even matter?

Just a thought.  One I will continue to ponder. But for now, let me attempt to answer the question of questions through the prism of my personal experiences and observances of others that I experienced while in Joplin, MO.

Day 1 in Joplin began with our first drive into the epicenter of the destruction.  We were staying in a church that was one mile away.  In the church and surrounding area the only sign that a tornado had occurred was the presence of relief volunteers, organizations and relief provision.  There was an abundance of food, water, portable showers, clothing and other household items available for whoever had a need. However, the buildings, streets, stores, homes, churches in this area looked as normal as before the tornado had come. I did not see the visible sign that anything had occurred. Until…  we drove one mile over. 

That’s all.  One mile.  Because one mile over was the beginning of what I was not prepared to see.

As we drove into the destruction zone, silence invaded our van.  Eyes were taking in what we had only seen on TV or the internet.  It always seems so far away on television. Almost unreal.  But here it was.

We stopped.  We had a job today.  A homeowner without a home had requested our assistance in beginning to clean up the mess.  I stepped out and tried to hide behind my big dark sunglasses. This worked for only a moment, for the tears insisted on making their appearance. The only physical response that matched the heartbreak inside.

And we began… cleaning up.  Digging through what was once a home.  Dividing the debris for removal.  Wood in one pile.  Metal in another.  Appliances, if there, in their own section.  Any personal items thought to be of value or of a sentimental nature were put aside for the owners.  So began a week of digging through the rubble of people I did not know, in an attempt to assist in helping them begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

Here are some highlights and random thoughts:

After we cleared a property for one homeowner, our team of fifty volunteers that day gathered around to pray for him and his wife.  In addition, Samaritan’s purse provides an incredible Billy Graham Study Bible that we all signed.  We prayed and presented the Bible.  The man began to weep as he thanked us for our help.

This man had about a 5 acre piece of property.  On the back of the property, there were three trailer houses that he rented out.  During the  tornado, one trailer was picked up in the air, spun around three times and landed upside down. The tenants were in the trailer when this happened and none of them were hurt.  Miraculous!

Also, the home owner had a friend that came out and worked with us in helping to clear the property.  When we all gathered together, the friend shared how his own house had burned down over two years prior.  He told us that the man we all helped had spent almost every weekend for the last two years helping him rebuild after the fire.  He said now God was paying him back by sending all of us to help. 

We saw homes where nothing was left but a stairwell, and that was where the family gathered and they all lived. 

We cleared one house that had a storm shelter in the front porch.  The family had never used the shelter in ten years. But the dad felt like they were supposed to this time.  Because of this, the family lived.  The front of the house totally collapsed on top of the shelter when the tornado came through and the family, though safe, were trapped after the tornado was over.  Their neighbor came by and dug them out.  The entire family was saved. 

Another homeowner we helped shared how her husband had been the only one home.  A wall collapsed over him, but instead of killing him, it was what held him down and kept him safe.  Again, miraculous.

Besides the question of, “Did we make a difference?”, the other question I have heard is “Where was God in all of this?” 

Well, I don’t claim to have all of the answers, but all I can share is what I saw, and the stories we were told.

We heard one story of a lady who had been estranged from her adult children.  During and right after the tornado, her children attempted to contact her.  They had not talked in years.  They were unable to reach her and feared the worst.  Unbeknownst to them, their mother had been out of town.  When she came back home, a few days after the tornado, she went to see how bad her home was.  It was demolished.  However, when she arrived, she found her adult children in her front yard, cleaning up the debris.  They ran to each other, hugged and cried.  Just thankful everyone was alive and well; their relationship was instantly healed and restored.  The lady called the Pastor of the church we stayed at to share her story.

This was the amazing thing I witnessed; in the midst of tragedy and devastation, we saw and heard so many miraculous stories.  People who were supposed to be home but were delayed, and because of the inconvenience, were now alive. 

I can remember arriving at one property to begin cleaning up. A volunteer looked at the mass accumulation of trees and debris and exclaimed, ” Where do we start?” Almost as soon as she asked, another volunteer member went and picked up a piece of wood and began walking it to the curb. That simple act said it all. Our team of volunteers cleared that property that day. But it started by picking up the first piece.

Meeting many of the home owners and hearing their stories was amazing.  I could go on and on for paragraphs at a time. I saw God working through volunteers from all over the country.  I saw God in the eyes of people who lived through the tornado and were so thankful to be alive.  I saw God in the cooperation of strangers, neighbors, families and acuaintences unified by the hope of rebuilding after the storm.

So did we make a difference? … absolutely, but it was because we were  a part of a mass army of volunteers who were pouring out their lives, time, energy, finances and love.  And, strangely, in the midst of tragedy, I saw, sensed, felt, and observed God at work.  Out of the ashes, beauty is rising.  Out of tragedy, compassion is flowing.  Out of heartache love is being reborn. 

The lives of my son Bryce and I were changed forever.  We were deeply moved by the people of Joplin, by the outpouring of love and by the Grace of God that was undeniable.

My heart and prayers will continue to be with the people of Joplin, and I look forward to going back and seeing the miracle of a town rebuilt.  Please continue to pray for Joplin, donate money to relief organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse, and consider going to volunteer.  God Bless Joplin.

R U Ready to Run

Posted: May 26, 2011 in Life
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Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 1 Cor 9:24

So…who out there wants to win?  Doesn’t winning sound better than losing.  We generally think that in any race, if we are the winner, then someone else is the loser.  But here’s the great part: God gives each and every one of us a race to run.  He gives us a path to follow.  A dream to pursue. A goal to accomplish.  Our individual journeys, our race, on the way to the finish line looks different for each and every one of us.

We all have different families, different upbringings, different education, different interests, different styles, different tastes, and different ways of doing things.

Nevertheless, God says run in such a way to win your race.  Your race, your journey is going to look different from mine, and yet God wants us both to win.  So, in reality, we each have our own race in which we can win or lose and we can win without making anyone else a loser.  In fact, the way God does things, if we run our race well, if we run to win, then we put ourselves in a position to encourage others.

The best thing we can do in life is to run well, run far, run to win. 

In the end we can say as the Apostle Paul said,  in 2 Timothy 4:7, “ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

God gives us grace to run, grace to continue, grace to win. 

He gives us a way to win, through His Son, Jesus Christ.  What a gift, huh?!  Jesus takes our sin, our failures, our shortcomings.  And in return, we receive forgiveness, life and grace to run our race.

Most importantly, through Jesus Christ, we are given the ultimate finish line: eternity with God, the creator of all things.

How sweet it will be to hear the voice of God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord.”

Oh how those words encourage me as I run.

Ok, that’s Incredible!

Posted: May 12, 2011 in The Book
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Ok… so the book I wrote is getting great reviews, but the video trailer my friend Dave Bode did is getting off the chart reviews!  It is incredible!  Please,check it out and spread it around!    http://youtu.be/OQLJm6vl5A8

The Open Curtain

Posted: April 5, 2011 in Life
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The light shone through the crack in the curtains. Pulled together, but never quite shut. The man sat in the darkness with his hand positioned a few inches in front of his eyes. A halfhearted attempt to keep the sunshine from stealing away the preferred absence of light.

Darkness matched his mood. The black of night hid his heart. Light betrayed his pursuit of lonely isolation. Depression was his only friend. His companion that never left. All others were agents of betrayal, filled with smooth talking promises, which never came to pass.

 Life was existence, nothing more. Everything else was a fraud. A ruse of meaningless attempts to justify something more than just being. Because being is all there is; there is nothing else.

So, let the darkness come in. Keep the light at bay. Cold is my heart and comfortable I am with the emptiness it holds. For I am the man, and depression is my friend. Please don’t pull back the curtain. Don’t let the light in. Don’t tell me there is purpose or something more. For I welcome the darkness of night but reject the cruel temptress of false hope. I have danced with her before, and she broke my heart. Never again.

Let the darkness prevail, keep the curtains closed and let depression take his place at my side, in my heart in my mind. For I will embrace my companion, dark as he is, for he is loyal and will never leave me.

Ok… !!!!

That was dark and depressing, and very real. It is a realistic glimpse of the prison of depression I once lived in. Darkness of the soul that is so overwhelming, I became friends with it. I gave myself over to the sense of hopelessness that strangely became the one and only thing that gave me comfort. Hope, love, peace and purpose seemed to be transient drifters in my life that wanted to steal away the comfort of despair, which had taken up residence in the depths of my being. Sounds crazy!

I now speak openly of this brutal, deceptive darkness. Why? Because I have met so many others who are entrenched in the battle with the enemy that wants to be their only companion…depression.

 I am no longer in a relationship with this Dark Prince! I found hope! I found purpose! I found freedom!

Depression, for some… is a disease. A chemical imbalance that can be treated with medication.

Me, I found my way out through realizing that there was light attempting to shine through. I found my way out through realizing who I was in the eyes of God. I found my way out by reading the stories about Jesus, and what He did for me, and how much He loves me.

He and I became friends, and… depression had to go! He was no longer welcome. I began to find that the more I focused on God and His love and forgiveness and grace, the less depression wanted to hang around. My focus became less about me and more about Jesus. Then, I began to see others as He did. Light was breaking through! God helped me, not only open the curtains, but rip them down! Let the light of Jesus Christ shine in! Let the light of His Word dispel the darkness.

If you struggle with the darkness of depression, I want to say… Don’t give up! Get Help! There is hope! There is freedom! There is light, not just at the end of the tunnel, but in the tunnel!

And, you are not alone! Many people fight the private battle of depression. Don’t fight it by yourself! Find someone to fight with you! And look to the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ! He is the light in the darkness.

It has been a few years since I ended my friendship with depression. Sometimes he still comes around. He knocks on the door. He even breaks in occasionally. The problem is… all the curtains are open now and he has nowhere to sit, nowhere to hide. The darkness is no longer welcome, because the Light has come.

Psalm 43:3

 O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me;

Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places.

I need your help

Posted: March 23, 2011 in The Book
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Hey there!  As many of you know, with God’s help, I was able to write and have a book published that is called UnWritten.  You never know how something like this is going to go. I felt like the story line was something that would speak to people and encourage them to live life to the fullest and also be encouraged to draw near to God.

Well… I am humbled and overjoyed with the feedback I am getting on this book.  There have been mother and daughters that have reconciled, youth pastors wanting to get copies for all of their youth, people who do not have a faith in God, now reaching out to find the Lord, and people from all walks of life sharing how the book impacted them and looking to get copies now for friends and families.

The book is available to bookstores across the nation, however, because I am an unknown, new author and the book has only been out for three months, the book is not on the shelves.  However, you can go into any Barnes and Noble, Borders, or any other book store, request the book and they will order it in.  It is also available on Amazon and will be available as an e-book very soon.

But here’s where I could use your help.  We have established a website, for ease of book purchasing.  I humbly ask for your help in  spreading the word and letting people know about it.

http://theunwrittenbook.com/

Also, a friend named Dave Bode produced a video promo for the book that is worth a viewing.  People can check it out right on YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQLJm6vl5A8

Again, I am asking for your help because I believe God is using this book to touch hearts and change lives.  It is a tool you can share with those who have faith in God and those who don’t.

Thank you for your consideration!

Harlan

Snow Well!

Posted: March 2, 2011 in Leadership, Life
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Living in western NY, I have grown accustomed to snow. It snows here, and then… it snows some more. After that, when spring has come and the season of snow has ended, it snows again!

We have reached that point of the season where, honestly… I am done with snow and ready for spring. So, last week I looked out the window and could not believe what I was seeing. More snow. As I began to complain, my six-year-old son interrupted me in mid-complaint. Right when I was voicing my snow grievance, he says with childlike exuberance, “Dad! Snow is like a dream come true! It makes everything white and pure!”

Wow

I was speechless.

The perspective through the eyes of my six-year-old, presented me with an alternate point of view. With one brief childlike expression of honesty, I was challenged, corrected and received an attitude adjustment. Thank you Josiah! This momentary encounter got me thinking. There are many areas in life where it seems like “seasons of snow” just will not end. As humans, we do not like hardships, or trials or testings of any kind. I know I don’t! I like sunny days without rain. I like days where everything goes well. Days where I get my way, where I am right, where I get to do what I want to do and nothing gets in my way. I like days where every traffic light is green, and I get a raise and a bonus just for showing up.

Ok, let’s be REALLY honest!

In my humanness, I want money without work. I want to be paid to sleep in. I want to do what I want, when I want without anyone telling me what to do, how to do it, and why. I want to be in control! I want, I want, I want…. And I want it all without any cost! That’s me… just being human. But, when I look at things through the eyes of my six-year-old, I realize something. Snow ain’t all that bad! There are many seasons in my life I would like to forget or erase or get a “do over”. However, those seasons have led me to where I am. They have assisted in making me the person I am.

We read in James 1:2-4

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Another version reads like this: James 1:2-4

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Remember, after the snow, comes the spring. After spring, comes the summer, where – even here in Western New York State – it gets hot. Then, comes the temptation to complain about the squelching heat! Every season in life has it’s challenges. I just need to remember the lesson learned from my little son Josiah. Perspective is everything!

The outcomes of life seasons are primarily determined by the attitude of the person living them.

Well, I think it’s snowing again, so excuse me while I go enjoy the end of a season.

Holy Frustration Batman!

Posted: February 8, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Ok… I’m frustrated! And what pray tell am I frustrated about? I am frustrated over the bad rap that “frustration” is getting. Frustration is not high on the list of coveted or even distained “emotions” and “feelings” like love or hate or anger or jealousy or fear or sadness. In fact, frustration doesn’t even make the list of emotions! So what is frustration? Is it an emotion? Is it a feeling? What is it?! Well, one thing I do know is… frustration can be a powerful force.

I guess I need to share a little bit about where my current frustration concerning “frustration” is coming from. It all started because I was in a meeting and shared some frustration. I was told that I needed to be careful with being frustrated. That is good advice. I heeded it. We do need to be careful with frustration because it can lead to the “dark side”! However, can we be too careful with frustration and dismiss it all as bad? This thought, this question has led me to my current frustration.

Here’s why. Whatever frustration is – emotion, feeling, an unnamable force – I don’t believe that all frustration is bad. Frustration can be destructive, however, it can also be a motivating factor for beneficial change.

As a Christian, Jesus Christ is my ultimate example. Besides being my Lord, and my Savior, He’s my hero. He’s my standard. He’s my life. So, I look to Him to lead the way. And there is a time in scripture, where Jesus is FRUSTRATED. Yeah, Jesus, who was perfect and sinned not. We read in the book of Matthew, Mark and John, how Jesus went in to the temple and turned over the tables of the money changers. Jesus was FRUSTRATED, because they were turning the temple into something that it was not to be. His exact words in Matthew 21:13 were:  “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.'” Jesus got frustrated and made some beneficial changes that needed to be made.

This has happened throughout history. The Americas were discovered because FRUSTRATED merchants were looking for a shorter trade route. The Christian Reformation took place because Martin Luther looked around and was frustrated, because he didn’t like how the Church was being run. We drive automobiles because FRUSTRATED inventors got tired of walking and riding horses. Almost every modern invention we enjoy today was birthed out of frustration. Somebody thought, we can do this better.

So… is frustration good or bad? Well, I think it’s neither. I think it just is. What we do with our frustration will determine “frustration’s” future.

I was frustrated, so I blogged about it, and man do I feel better!

So what about you? Are you frustrated? Is it good? Is it bad? You decide… because remember… frustration can destroy or frustration can lead to beneficial change.

FRUSTRATION…. It’s future is in your hands.

UnWritten (revisited)

Posted: February 1, 2011 in Just for fun
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Wow… I just noticed that my blog site just went over 8000 views.  I just want to say thank you to all of the people who read, and re-post this blog.  Rather than writing something new this week, I thought I would re-post the very first blog I wrote about 10 months ago. So, here it is:

Have you ever thought about what it is that makes life worth living?  It seems that everyone has a different idea of how to answer that question.  However, one thing is for sure: we all have the same 24 hours a day to give towards what we think is worth our time.

There’s a passage in the Bible in the Book of Ephesians that says

Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time 

I often wonder…if my life was a book, what would I want to edit? What would I want to rewrite? And what is it that has yet to be written?

Realistically, there is no way for me to change the past, or remove the consequences of decisions I have already made.  However, I do have the ability to make right choices now.  A new chapter can begin today. I can take the time to tell people I love them; to forgive those who have wronged me; to take a step towards a dream yet unfullfilled.

If my life was a book, the greatest tradgedy would be if the best chapters were never read because they were never even written.

Life is worth living.  Live like you believe that and don’t leave any days, moments or heartfelt feelings out of the book you were meant to live.  Do not let your life be UnWritten.

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