Monday, June 11, 2018

A New Day

I was up before the sun this morning. It's interesting watching our planet wake up. Everything is dark at first but then there is a hint of light in the dark sky overhead. The motionless leaves in the trees begin to move, slowly.  Everything coming to life.

It is exactly the opposite at the end of the day. And at the end of life. The light fades. Once-moving things slow, then stop. Then all is still.

My mother is in the next room, nearing the end of her battle with cancer. She is sleeping. Soon she will go the way of the wind in the trees at night. The setting of the sun.

There are blessings in death though. Relationships strengthen, people come together. Love, mercy and compassion abound. It's too bad it takes someone's death to bring us to life - living the life of love that God commanded us to live, always.

34“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” - John 13:24-25

This morning I am remembering another quote. This one is not from Jesus though. It is from Admiral James T Kirk from Star Trek. He said, "How we face death is at least as important as how we face life." Is that true? We only find out when we face death.

One thing I have noticed though. As we face the death of a loved one our level of compassion increases towards others. Grace increases. We are more willing to express love. Why does it take someone's death to have that happen?

Watching my sister, my wife and my niece tend to the needs of my dying mother has been a blessing. They are "facing death" with God's gifts of love, grace and mercy . . . "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:14)

Each of us has one life to live. How will we live it? Will we live it in love? Or will we battle and fight our way through it. The choice is ours. Yours.

The sun is up now. A deer is walking across the backyard, nibbling the grass as she heads into the woods. It is the dawning of another day. How shall we live it?

A New Day Has Come - Celine Deon

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