Where Do You Hear?
We are still doing that “Live Like You Were Dying” study at our church and we are even doing a small group which Kristin and I have never done. We’ve only done it once but there are some really cool people there and it’s nice to talk to new people. The other day one of the questions in the study asked, “Where do you hear God most”. I started thinking about that answer and I realized that, because I am so distracted most of the day, I think it’s when I am doing mundane, repetitious things. Things like mowing the lawn, or pressure washing the deck, both of which I did today. I don’t know why it is, but I think it’s because I can’t be doing other things. I am doing something that I don’t really have to think about and I can just let my mind wander. I don’t know if that’s what the question was asking, but that’s how I took it, and that’s my answer. What about you guys?
Where do you hear God most? And for those of you that don’t think you “hear from God” where do you hear things that you are refusing to admit is God talking?
Live Like You Were Dying
Yesterday my church started a series, I assume with along with a bunch of other churches, called “Live Like You Were Dying“. Yes, it’s based off the huge country song about riding a bull and skydiving and what-not. Yes, it’s going to take a little effort for my brain to get past that point, and focus on the actual point.
According to the introduction yesterday, the series will focus on these four points: Valuing the people in your life, Speaking more lovingly, Giving and receiving forgiveness, and Embracing eternity. All these things sound really good and I am excited about really looking into this, but I left church yesterday with a few questions all surrounding one theme.
Being an introduction to the series, the message was pretty simple and sort of an outline for the month. ”If you had thirty days to live, how would you spend those days?” How would you spend each hour? How would you treat your family? That kind of stuff. It’s definitely makes you think about what’s really important in life and where our priorities should be. All good stuff.
It’s sort of like that movie “The Bucket List”. I haven’t seen it yet, but the other day we almost rented it so we re-watched the preview. These two old guys are “living like they were dying”, by jumping out of planes, riding horses, traveling the world, and it totally inspires me to do that.
Both of these things trigger something in me to “follow my dreams”, “take risks”, “find my priorities”, “love my family with everything in me” and I love all that stuff. Here’s the problem, and I am hoping that this series at church addresses it. My problem with it is pretty basic. How do you afford to “live like you were dying”? Here’s the thing. I recognize that if I were to have thirty days to live, you can bet I wouldn’t spend it paying off debt. I wouldn’t spend it focussed on getting bands to blog, or paying my mortgage. No, I’d spend it like Tim McGraw, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson. I’d spend it traveling with my family. I’d spend it sleeping as little as I could, and enjoying every second. I’d spend it making sure that every moment was packed with something amazing. And I’d spend it with complete disregard to credit card debt or retirement. Obviously this isn’t what this series is about, but I can’t help but come at it with that approach.
So where’s the balance? How do I “live like I am dying” while recognizing the importance of planning and responsibility? Is that possible? Like I said, this is a new series, so I would assume they address this question. It’s not like I am the only one that is going to ask that.
So what do you guys think?
**Oddly enough, I had no idea that Kristin blogged about this same subject, but with a different spin**
