What if

this first year of the 21st century (or the last of the

20th - depending on what school of thought you

adopt) was your last year on earth?

Suppose this was your last

month, week, day? Would such knowledge make a difference

in how you spend your time, resources, energy and

affection?

Life is short at best.

There is never enough time to do all we want to do. To

say the things we wish we had said. To hug the dear one

who walked away without the warmth of our embrace.

I would imagine that almost

every individual reading these words has lost a loved one

at some time or another. Maybe more than one. Perhaps

many have gone on before you.

Were you left with regrets?

Regret is perhaps the most

painful of all human emotions. It ought not to be. But we

get busy, don't we? Too busy. And way always leads on to

way.

Oh, we think we will turn

around at some point in time, make our way back to the

bend in the road where we said such hurtful words. Where

we ignored the child who so eagerly longed for just an

hour of our time - an uninterrupted hour. Where we

first began to grow apart from the mate we promised to

love and cherish forever.

Forever. Even forever gets

interrupted, doesn't it?

If you know about that

first hand, if you have lost a loved one expectedly or

unexpectedly, then you probably briefly have entertained

thoughts like the ones I am sharing today.

Briefly doesn't cut it.

When will we realize today is all there is?

Those who have forewarning,

like with the diagnosis of life-threatening illness, may

be the lucky ones to some degree. At least they get a

chance to evaluate things. To make right what can be made

right. To turn the rest back over to God.

Back over? Maybe. I think

He entrusts us with circumstances, relationships,

opportunities, etc. through which we grow and learn. How

we act and react to everyday life helps to mold us into

what we are becoming for all eternity.

Eternity. That's like

forever, isn't it?

Not exactly. There is no

forever on earth. There is no proof of a forever in

eternity. But by faith we believe there is a tomorrow on

the other side.

So we are becoming. Always

we are becoming. Even with our last breath we are still

becoming.

Recall with me the words of

Paul to the church at Corinth as he attempted to describe

love. "Love never fails," he said.

And he continued: "But

if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away;

if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is

knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part, and

we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes the

partial will be done away... For now we see in a mirror

dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but

then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully

known. But now abide faith, hope and love, these three;

but the greatest of these is love."

My favorite line from the

above quote: "I shall know fully just as I have been

fully known."

Let's face it. Sometimes,

it is just too late to go back. Sometimes the ones we

want to go back to grow up or move away or die and we

can't return to that moment when things would have been

different if we had only known then what we know now.

But guess what? God knew.

With all my heart and soul I believe God knew all that we

now wish we had known. And He, in His sovereignty, grace

and compassion, watches over all of us - you, me and

all those individuals we think of when we start saying

"What if?"

Today is all we have,

folks. There is no turning back. Do not wait until

tomorrow to spend time with the little one who is waiting

for you to "have time." You will never have any

more time than you do today. Hug those you love. Tell

them you love them with word and action. Remember,

there's faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these

is love.

And love, as we know it on

earth, probably doesn't begin to touch the all-knowing

kind that we will embrace on the other side. So do what

you can today, and do it well. Live fully and don't fret

over that which you can't change; leave that to God.

He'll still be working in the lives of our loved ones

long after we are no longer around to do all we wish we

had said or done.