"Live As If Dying". It was a sign on the wall shop of a sign maker at Knoebels Amusement Park. I was down at Knoebels last Saturday with my two best Friends, Paul Ealy and Jimmy. They drove up from Allentown, PA and we were spending the day at the park, riding the rides and relaxing.
When I saw this sign, I had to stop for a moment and sit down. Then I began to compose this blog post of which I "preached" a little bit at Paul and Jimmy. So here's the rest of my" little sermon" for you today:
Live As If Dying!
In today's war torn and terrorism filled world, we are living fast, free, and without a care of concern for whatever what may come at the last moment. We pile up debts. We take on more than one project in which our bosses in our companies demand us to do. Our home has so many personal projects and hobbies that need to be done, they go undone. We rarely communicate with our family and friends because we're so busy with job and "other important duties". We're all moving at a fast pace and we rarely monitor our health or don't care of what happens to ourselves until it's *TOO LATE*.
The *TOO LATE* moment comes when:
A serious deadly car accident happens.
You get shot by some one you don't know (or beaten up) and dying on the ground.
You get caught in the middle of a fast moving dangerous storm.
Your home is struck by a sudden home invasion by deadly strangers.
There are *tons of examples* of what happens when it gets to be *too late*, so I'm not going to bore you to death with an entire list because by the time you finish this, it may be *too late* to help you! (Just kidding of course, you will finish reading this and it won't be *too late*).
But what happens is, when it becomes *too late*, you could end up dying somewhere on the ground or whatever it be. You will then realize the *THOUSANDS of REGRETS* of the things that are left UNDONE, unsaid, and the forever feeling of incomplete. You can scream and beg God to send you back to finish things. But too late is *TOO LATE*! Death is death.
You will pass on to eternity. That eternity is either Heaven or Hell. (For info on Salvation, read:
You know what? Some of you *WON'T* pass on to eternity when you are seriously laid low from the dangerous events. When you wind up to recover in the hospital or a rehabilitation facility, that's when you'll listening to yourself saying: "Stop, Slow down, and pace yourself".
That works for some people. Some the average people will ache to get out of the hospital and run right back at full speed. Only to spin out of control and *WHAM*, definitely *Too Late* this time! AGAIN!
If a person was recovering from a life changing experience, the "stop, slow down, and pace yourself" lecture won't work for them. If Doctors and pastors were to tell patients the "Live As If Dying", people just might live a better fuller life in this world.
So you ask "How does 'Live As If Dying' works?" .
When you recover, you are often told to take "One Day at a time". But they just don't say how to do that. So how do you?
Basically it's this:
Live As If Dying is like One day at a time. But you make your days count for your life. As you recover from the serious event (you don't need to be in this position, but it's the idea), look back and take stock of your life's events that you've been through. Think about what you've accomplished so far in your life. List all that's happened to you, good and bad. Then evaluate who you are so you get a mental picture of yourself.
Then count up all the personal and professional projects that you got going on. Don't take on any new ones until you've finished those projects first.
When that's accomplished, here's the suggestion on the NEW projects.
In the professional setting, have no more than 7 projects going on. I mean it. You want to be lean and mean and able to do things at your best rather than bogged down. You'll process things faster but you won't be pulled down.
In personal life projects, like at home, have no more than 3 projects going on. Those projects ought to be at least 1 hobby, 1 home improvement, and one other project going on.
While that's set, you need to then keep in contact with all your friends that you've made in life. Email at least twice a week. Talk on the phone at least once a week. (in the deaf community: VP at least once a week. Heck, you can do that by web camera too!). Plan to get together in real life at least 2 to 3 times a year if you can. Take a vacation at every 6 months.
More importantly, if you are going to "Live As If Dying", you need to be prepared for anything in this life. These days, death is coming at us at an unexpected time. So to be prepared for it, write out your last will and testament. Get it approved by a lawyer. Get the copy of your last will and testament to your executor of your estate that you choose (have 1 executor and at least 2 back-up executors). Talk to a funeral home and plan your funeral. Choose a casket, service, and who you want to speak for you. Go to a cemetery and choose your grave site.
When you have all the preparations done, tell your family and your executor of your estate. You see, when you make these preparations ahead of time, the surviving members of your family won't have to worry. You have what you want at the end of your days. You have your things going where you want them to go.
So Live as if Dying. Stop and smell the flowers. Enjoy the moments in life where you can be still and have a little peace from God flow over you.
Whatever what you choose to do, make it count.
Semper Fi.
1 comment:
Life is short and I totally agree with what you wrote in this blog. My brother Paul died at the age of 41 unexpectly in December 2000. My priest's brother died at the age of 45 on Mother's Day. So one note, there is no appointment that can be made as when you, me or anyone will die. It can come when at least not expected. The very next thing comes judgement for all of us after we die. No one can cancel that appointment of when they will die. So be prepared.
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