We’ve been going to Southland Christian Church for several weeks now. We’ve heard the senior pastor preach twice, the youth pastor preach once, and last week, we heard the former senior pastor, Mike Breaux preach. Mike is now at Willow Creek and just published a book, Making Ripples.
Making Ripples is all about the concept of how your life is touching other lives, and those lives are touching other lives, and how that just goes on and on—like ripples in water. It's a great, quick read.
In a chapter titled, Making a Difference—Now! Mike talks about a survey of 95-year-old men and women. Researchers asked this group the question, “If you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?” They had three specific answers. (You’ve probably seen this in one of those hokey email forwards, but I like it and I want to remember it.)
- If we had to live life all over again, first of all, we would reflect more. We’d slow down, savor more sunsets eat more ice cream, and laugh more. We would enjoy life more. We would soak in more special moments. We wouldn’t work so fast and so feverishly.
- We’d risk more. We’d take more chances. We woud live life like it’s an adventure, where you can’t pick the fruit unless you’re out on a limb somewhere.
- We’d do something with our lives that would live on long after we’re dead and gone.
Mike goes on to say, “I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to wait until I’m ninety-five to think about those things. I want to reflect now. I want to risk now. I want to do something right now with my life that’s going to live on long after I’m gone.” That’s where I’m at. I want to soak in as much life as possible. I want to quit worshipping things that aren’t God. I want to live the abundant life that God calls us to. I want to quit tip-toeing, waiting for my life to get interesting. I want to start living—seriously living. I don’t know what that looks like exactly. But, I’m pretty sure that for today it’s going to involve exploring a creek with my boys, and dancing the aisles of Wild Oats, and inviting God into every moment of my day. Labels: God |
That's awesome, Aimee! I'm in. Why waste a bunch of time on stuff that won't matter in the end? Thanks for the inspiring thought!