In The Dash- Till Death Do We Part

Everyone dies.  In some cases we can choose how or when but in a healthy way of life God chooses for us.  I’ve always said that I never want to die by fire or water, to be completely honest I would rather die peacefully in my bed or in a quick instant.  I don’t do well with pain or suffering.

I believe everything happens for a reason whether I understand or accept it, so if I knew I had thirty days to live my prayer is that I would live with joy and passion till the very end.  My prayer is that I would live as if it were a celebration, that I would not waste my time feeling sorry for myself or spend my time questioning why.

My prayer is that through my death others may find life, and God would be honored.

 

Action Step:

◊ Embrace the end and not fear it. 

In The Dash- Live Different

One of the most impacting moments of my life was due to a series we did at church called Live Different.  The idea was to live our life with purpose.  It just so happened we were walking with the steps of a man who was dying of Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Emotional to say the least was his journey the last couple months of his life.  Powerful was his impact with his outlook on life and looking back with no regrets.

His funeral was a celebration of a life well invested with friends and family not a life spent with regrets.  His focus and determination challenged me and has forced me to live life different.

To live intentional, to live with a purpose, to invest into others, because death is not the end but only the beginning for those who have a relationship with Christ.

 

Action Step:

◊ Plan out funeral to be a celebration. 

In The Dash- Life Policies

I’ve never had a life insurance policy.  The joke has always been I was worth more alive than dead which is always a good thing.  With a job change recently, I was given a life insurance policy…as it stands I am still worth more alive than dead but at the very least the gap is closing.

Being in a corporate financial position has opened my eyes to the importance of planning for the future and the importance of planning for today.  I never want the only thing for my kids to inherit is my debt.  I have set goals to be financially free from owing anybody in three years, and what I am learning is that is a tough process, but I want to get to the point that I can be sure that my wife and kids are taken care of for life.

 

Action Step: 

◊ Make sure life insurance policies are up to date and have a financial plan in place.  

In The Dash- Role Players

I don’t like the dark and I send my wife to check out scary noises in the home.  However, I do take great pride in taking care of my family, providing for them and being someone they can lean on.  When I’m gone I want someone to check on them, and someone to take care of the small things.

After someone passes we are quick to jump in and help but time passes and people forget.  A couple of weeks turn into a couple of months and the person that is left behind is expected to handle the responsibility of two people, all while grieving.

It’s important for me to have key friends there to help carry the role, to help fill in to be a male role model for my boys and to help my wife with the things I used to do.

 

ACTION STEPS:

◊ Make sure key friends would be there to protect my family.  

In The Dash- Cold Storage

The day I got my license two things happened… I got my first reckless driving speeding ticket and I became an organ donor.  I was an organ donor until I had a family and at that point I took my name off the list because I read an article about how you can register and store your organs for your family after death.

I have no idea the cost or the procedure to do so, but ever since I read that I have been committed to registering and storing my organs for my family for the worst-case scenario that they would need them.

I’ve heard stories of children who received a parents organ and because of that they had a chance to experience a life that they may never have had.  A loss of a loved one can provide life for a loved one.   

 

ACTION STEPS: 

◊ Register to store my organs for my family. 

In The Dash- Serious Surrender

A new year, a death of someone close, a life changing circumstance, all of these are times in my life when I have gotten completely serious about my faith.  Serious in reading God’s Word for myself and not just to write a message or a blog post.  Serious in prayer to hear from God and not just to give Him my list of requests or serious in sharing my faith not only when it is convenient.

There is a point where you realize that your faith is not about you, but about surrendering your will to an incredible loving God.  There is a point when you realize that you are here for more than surviving but are here to live out your faith with audacious power and commitment because how can you not get completely serious about a faith that has given you life?

 

ACTION STEP:

◊ Stop pretending.  Get real.  Eternity is at stake. 

Tears

I have watched this video two dozen times over the last two days with the same result, tears.  I think of my kids and my life and how I take the opportunities I have to truly LIVE for granted.  I challenged teenagers last night to realize how precious their life is.  That it is a gift.  That no matter how difficult it gets or how much junk builds up, there is a God who loves us.  There is a God who is bigger than our hurt and our pain.  There is a God who is bigger than even our hopes and dreams because we have no idea the plan that God has for our lives.

16 I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. 17 Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. 18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. -Ephesians 3

Just a reminder today to not just make it but to LIVE.  LIVE with passion and excitement.  LIVE with purpose.  LIVE today with an intention to make somebody else’s life better.  And may you not just exist but end today releasing a balloon knowing that you truly LIVEd.

 

So Your Dead, Now What?

I am so pumped about this Sunday as I get to teach on a subject that is so important and carries so much weight but is also so hard to articulate and affects so many.  What happens after you die?  This week we are tackeling the tough subject of Hell.  Join us as we take this two week journey together.

Check out the video on Facebook.

An End And A Begining

“To everything (turn, turn, turn), There is a season (turn, turn, turn) , And a time for every purpose, under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die, A time to plant, a time to reap, A time to kill, a time to heal, A time to laugh, a time to weep, To everything (turn, turn, turn), There is a season (turn, turn, turn), And a time for every purpose, under heaven. A time to build up,a time to break down, A time to dance, a time to mourn, A time to cast away stones, a time to gather stones together. To everything (turn, turn, turn), There is a season (turn, turn, turn), And a time for every purpose, under heaven. A time of love, a time of hate, A time of war, a time of peace, A time you may embrace, a time to refrain from embracing. To everything (turn, turn, turn), There is a season (turn, turn, turn), And a time for every purpose, under heaven. A time to gain, a time to lose, A time to rend, a time to sew,  A time to love, a time to hate,  A time for peace, I swear its not too late.”

This song Turn Turn Turn sang by The Byrds is also an adaption from a chapter from the Bible, Ecclesiastes 3.  I have read that and I have heard that so many times and this week it was lived out.  On Wednesday morning I received a call that my grandmother had lost her battle with cancer.  One of the most optimistic and Godly woman I have ever met.  Her and my grandfather (who passed away several months ago), were so generous and gave their lives away to serve and invest into others and God’s kingdom.

When My grandfather died it was very difficult on my mom to loose her father and yet my sister had a little boy right around the same time to add comfort to her and once again with my grandmother passing on Wednesday, Jess and I prepare to bring a new baby into the world tomorrow afternoon, and once again it is providing a comfort to my mom and our family.

As a pastor I always talk about God’s timing is perfect and sometimes it can become a ritualistic speech because you don’t know what else to say, but the reality is when you look back it is true.  For once I get to realize it while in the midst of it.  I am so thankful for a God who’s timing is perfect.  I know that my life is in His hands and I am trusting Him in all the situations in my life right now.

Grandpa

Rough day!  Have not really even processed this nor am I good at doing that anyways.  All I know is that this morning around 9:00am I got a call from my Aunt telling me that she had bad news for me.  This day was coming and I was prepared to hear that my grandma had finally lost her battle with cancer but that is not what I heard.  Instead my grandpa had passed away peacefully in his sleep last night only to wake up instantly in the presence of the very God who created him.

There are a lot of “I wishes” that I have.  I wish that I had spent more time with him as an adult.  I wish that he had met my wife.  I wish that he had met my kids.  I wish that I had taken the trip out there to see him when I was going to.  I wish that he had gotten to see me preach.  I wish that I had lived closer to him and been able to take care of him.  I wish I had one more day to call him.  I wish that death did not sting so much.  I wish that tears did not flow.  I wish everyone could have a man of God like my grandpa invest in their life.  I wish, I wish, I wish.

I think the key when someone we loves passes away is to not dwell on the “I wishes” but on the I remembers.

• I remember wrestling with him when I was a little boy.
• I remember sleeping in his motor home when they would drive from California to Washington to visit us.
• I remember we always had fresh fruit when he was around.
• I remember him always sneaking us candy bars.
• I remember him always looking at maps, which either means he knew everything very well or never had a clue where we were going.
• I remember him riding his motorcycle and I thought he was the coolest guy in the world.
• I remember him modeling what it meant to be Godly even though it was not modeled by others in my life.
• I remember him reading his Bible with the night light on.
• I remember him snoring, it was such a unique snore for such a big guy.
• I remember going to Disneyland with him.
• I remember having to clean out part of his garage and I swear he tried to kill me doing it that day.
• I remember sitting on his lap and steering.
• I remember that marriage was important to him and he stayed married for 61 years with no regrets.

My grandfather left a legacy behind of kids and grand-kids who love God because we are all better people for the investment that he had in our lives.

Who do you need to remember today and instead of having “I wish” moments go to them and create “I remember” opportunities?