I stopped my walk for a couple of minutes and watched the sun melt into the horizon and leave an orange glow across the sky.  Soon the colors of red bled from the west, leaving everything as dark shadows against the fading evening.  It was breathtaking in its beauty, and I almost missed it because I needed to get in my workout. 

God never designed life to be an endless cycle of busyness.  It was also never planned for us to be passively entertained by others. Instead, life at its best is meant to be lived with the Godly pattern of loving, serving, giving, and enjoying. 

The first three seem evident to anyone who has ever read a Bible, even in a simplistic way. First, we are called to a relationship with God and others.  There we serve one another and give to anyone who has a need.  The final one, enjoyment, I rarely hear anyone mention.  I do not mean you passively sit at home and spend your days being entertained by your TV.  Instead, I think God wants us to enjoy this wonderful creation where he has placed us.

There is no Bible book, chapter, and verse that says this truth. However, I have noticed repeatedly in the Proverbs and the Psalms.  God made this intricate and beautiful world, and those two books stop to see it frequently.  I want every person to enjoy this wonderful life and creation God has given us. 

Get up before dawn and watch the sunrise.  Walk at night and look for shooting stars.  You can find a quiet lake and peacefully notice the sky as it melts into the night.  Observe nature, hike in the woods, ride a bike or a motorcycle into the unknown.  Travel as cheaply as possible so that you can swim in the ocean or ascend a mountain.  God created this planet with so much beauty, and I hope you can get out and experience it.  If nothing else, go outside today and spend a few minutes noticing something you might have missed. 

This is not the central focus of life and should not take all our time and money. Instead, our relationship with God and others is primary.  But I also think you should take time to notice the world where you are placed and enjoy it. God’s creation is magnificent, and it would be a shame to miss it because you were too busy or trapped inside by a talking box.    

Today I will say goodbye to a wonderful saint who lived his life for Jesus. 

Days like this are bittersweet.  It is sweet to know the end result of our faith.  This is a day that family and friends will cling to the hope of the eternal life we find in Jesus.  The light of the gospel shines the brightest in the valley of the shadow of death. 

Today will also be bitter.  There is emotional pain that comes with saying goodbye.  It is hard to finish the final chapter and close the book on someone we love.  We long for one more conversation, smile, and day together.  Tears will flow and drain the emotions, but it is necessary to bring the closure we need. 

The Apostle Paul tells the Church in the city of Thessalonica that it is okay to grieve but do not do it like those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13).  Today both of those realities will come to pass.  We will grieve, but even in our sadness, there is hope because of the work of Jesus. 

Today is not goodbye; it is more like, “We will meet again on the other side.” 

Thank you, Jesus. 

I openly admit that I am a mess.  I struggle with sin every single day.  Occasionally I am victorious, but I fail too often. 

All I know is that I cannot imagine how much worse things would be without Jesus. 

The forgiveness offered through the grace of Jesus has kept me moving forward.  The Holy Spirit empowering me over sin at times has been unnoticed yet beyond helpful.  The fellowship of other travelers on the road of faith has inspired me to keep the faith. 

Because of Jesus, I keep trying to improve, get up when I fall, and strive to be the person God wants me to be.

I am a mess, but I am thankful for the goodness of God that makes today much better than it could have been without him.

Some pain never goes away.  It might fade into the background, but someone touches the scar, and pain shoots through your whole body.  You wish you could forget that day and what happened then, but it is burned indelibly into your mind. 

I was once told that time heals all wounds.  While it is true that the wounds will eventually turn into scars, pain can still exist even if it is only occasionally when you are touched in the right place.

This is true physically and metaphorically as well.  The pain of losing my best friend 31 years ago still catches me at times, and I sit silently and cry.  The hurt from my father’s strokes and death can cut through me at unexpected moments, making it feel like it happened yesterday.  The person who said those words to me will never know how they still hurt.  The phone not ringing when I was struggling made the pain almost unbearable, and I cannot forget it. 

Don’t get me wrong; I have learned to forgive, move beyond the moment, and heal in those situations the best way I could.  But I was left scarred for life.

There are days I hurt from the past, and I cannot explain it to you unless you have experienced it yourself.  Honestly, I hope you have no idea what I am talking about in this post.