LiveDifferent Challenge (29): Prepare to Die

I know, this sounds morbid. It’s late and I’m exhausted so this will be short.  As you know, our church has done a One Month to Live series, looking at life from the perspective of knowing your time on earth is short.  I haven’t read the book so can’t recommend it, but the perspective has been great. Then, tonight I read my friend Caila’s blog, and she too was asking the question, “What would you do if you have one month to live?”  It’s a fabulous question.  My answer, though I wish were more spiritual, went something like this:

Hold my son so close I could taste his breath and kiss his cheeks and never let go. I would stay up all night, every night, writing him letters for him to read throughout his life, and telling him how enormously proud I am of him. I would video myself singing to him and telling him how much I love him so he could know my voice and know how in love with him I am. I would spend the rest of my hours praying for his precious little life to be lived for God.

Then I would lie in my husband’s arms and smell his chest and watch our son sleep. I would tell him a million times over how his undying love has changed my life. While he slept I would write him a hundred letters to read later…  Ok, crying too hard to continue.

Right after Duch was born, I did just that.  I wrote two long letters, one to Jeff and one to Dutch, to read only in the event that I’m no longer here.  I wept as I wrote them (I’m weeping now) because the thought of my son growing up without knowing my love is too much for me to even comprehend.  But I’m so glad I wrote them, because at least I know that no matter what, I’ve said what I know I want to say.  I’ve even told Jeff I want the song, “In Christ Alone” played at my memorial.  I know those are small things, but more than my life being something big, I just want it to be real.  I just want those very closest to me to see Christ burning in my life more than anything else. 

So though it’s not a fun topic, our challenge this week is to prepare to die.  Just give it some thought. What is unfinished that needs to be taken care of?  Who is there you need to forgive, or ask forgiveness of?  Do you need to write a letter to someone, or tell your spouse how blessed you truly are?  Do you need to invest in your child more than invest in the stock market?  Which needs more attention, the crumbs at your feet or the spouse at your side?  Does anything need to change?  Lord, show us.

Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.  Ecc. 7:2

Let’s take it to heart.