Live Like You Were Dying

The past 30 days (Feb 21-Mar 21) our church did a series called Live Like You Were Dying by Gary Smalley. We talked about loving deeper, speaking sweeter, giving forgiveness, and embracing eternity...each Saturday a small group came to our home to watch a quick video and discuss some questions. It was awesome!

The discussions and video, and sermons each Sunday really reminded us that all our days are numbered, just like it says in Psalms 90:12. Since we all want to make the most of the time that God has given us we want to love deeper, speak sweeter, give forgiveness, and embrace eternity.

I think what impacted me the most was my relationship with John. Now, I literally have The Best Husband in the World! (sorry ladies) But, sometimes I let the dumbest, most insignificant things bother me. I mean honestly John's worst fault might be leaving his socks near the bed on the floor, and that's it. He really does an amazing job at loving me, being an attentive dad, supporting me, leading our home and being a godly figure. He just couldn't be any better if I tried to mold the perfect man.

But since I've been a stay at home mom, I think I've gotten "on his case" more than he's deserved, because maybe I'm overtired, or cranky, or whatever, but it's not acceptable. So this past month I've really thought about how I need to change the way I treat him and love him. Because if I only had 30 days left on this earth I'd want him, of all people, to know just how much I love him and appreciate him, and enjoy his presence. I really do. He's my favorite person to just sit on the couch with and I can totally relax and be myself. Why then am I so difficult at times? Still trying to figure that out. Still trying to figure out why we hurt the people we love the most too...

Anyway, I've been thinking back to our single times (married life before the munchkins came) The time we traveled to Rome and saw the Spanish Steps, the Fountain de Trevi, the Colosseum, The Vatican (I fainted, literally in the Sistine chapel because I got dehydrated, very funny story actually), our many times in Cape May each summer for our anniversary (the one in this picture we woke up early to watch the sun rise on the beach...and I was newly pregnant with my Julia), our time in Barcelona when we spent New Year's in a ritzy restaurant (I cried because it was so beautiful, John always out does himself with each trip he's taken me on) Our time in Paris at Versailles, and the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower (finally got to use all the French I've learned since I studied it for 7 years) and our first anniversary as a married couple spent in Mexico!

Life has been such a blessing being married to a godly husband who really has a goal in life to make me smile and to spoil me rotten (Did I mention that when he got back from California a few days ago from a business trip that he came back with a new pair of shoes that I had my eyes on when we were window shopping?...see! he's so great!)

I really am going to purposefully love deeper, speak sweeter and give forgiveness quicker! And you my blog friends are my little witnesses and accountability partners!

So, whatever you are holding onto that you might be upset about or angry over, let it go. Whenever you can do a random act of kindness, do it! Shower people with love! And whenever you can pour a bit of sweetness in your words, sprinkle it on...because words are so powerful, you can change someone's whole day by being extra sweet, extra loving, and extra forgiving! And embrace eternity. As Christians, we have nothing to fear when God calls us home, we will be safe in His arms!

So, today, live, like you were dying!