“Life moves pretty fast.  If you don’t stop and take a look around once in awhile…you could miss it.”  Ferris Bueller

Despite the fact that he is a fictional character…Ferris’ words ring true.  I cannot tell you how often, when things are going well, that I can be found anticipating what might go wrong.  What is wrong with me?  (Wait…don’t answer that.)

A while back my wife received a letter from a friend she had grown up with.  After sharing a few pleasantries and catching Wendy up on what has been going on in the life of her family, she dropped this bombshell:  “By the time you receive this I will probably be dead.”  She had been suffering from and was about to lose her battle with cancer.

How do you deal with a letter like that?  For me, it accomplished one very important thing.  It reminded me yet again that this life is temporary and it is really up to us to make it worth something…no matter where we might be on the journey.  It was actually motivating, and something I look back to when I am wallowing in whatever bad mood I might be in.  

Coupled with that is this verse from the Message Translation of Jesus’ words: “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.”  John 10:10 (The Message)

Jesus himself spoke about a life worth living…a story worth telling.  We trust God with our past, present and future, but then we are asked to live.  LIVE!

This past fall as I shared about Moses in a lengthy sermon series I was struck by Moses’ words to the people just before he was going to die and just before they were going to enter the Promised Land.   After pointing in the right direction and laying out the options of blessing or curse depending on how they might live, Moses gives them a simple statement:  “Choose Life”.

The same goes for us.  For me…more than ever…I am going to live life like every moment, every conversation, every person, every opportunity really mattered…right now!  I have wasted too much time anticipating bad when I should be looking to God and what good is out there for me to do and experience. 

There are flowers to smell, friends to engage with, ballgames to get to and music to enjoy.   With my whole heart I want to chase after God and serve Him with every part of my being.

No more anticipating troubles…even Jesus told us to not worry…tomorrow will take care of itself.  So what about you?  What are you gonna choose?  Life?  Or the opposite?

Here’s to putting the window down, cranking up the music and living the life we are called to live…for us and for others!  I’d love to know what you think.  Comment below and let’s get moving!