A View From The Porch Swing
I've been kind of 'out of it' during the last few days, because I've been recovering from a bad chest cold. I'm even missing small group tonight so that my coughing and sneezing doesn't infect the other members. So I thought I'd take this time to declare some thoughts on Practical Exercise 2, which says, "Imagine you're at the end of your life, at age 75 or 85 or 95...You're sitting on your porch swing looking back on your life...what are the things that you will want to have accomplished by then....Try to focus on the non-negotiables of your life, the things that you really must have in order to avoid any trace of disappointment....
Well first off, I'll want to feel confident that the plan and purpose God had for my life was at least to some extent, accomplished. Even if He only reveals His plan for me step by step, little by little, so that I'm not able to ever see the whole vision laid out before me, I'll want to feel confident that there were several times throughout my life where He called me to be obedient to certain tasks, and I was. I want to feel confident that when I see my Lord face to face, I'll hear Him say, "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant!"
Second, I know that my maker is my husband (Isaiah 54) and all that. And I've been single for almost 43 years. I get by okay, and I can get by okay being single another 43 years or even longer if I have to. But to "avoid any trace of disappointment" in my life, I will want to have the experience of marriage. Not that I need a husband to validate me or complete me or anything like that. I just WANT that experience. I know it's not all roses and romance. I know it's a lot of hard work to keep a marriage strong and healthy. But like Pastor Greg says, marriage is for practicing our relationship with God - and I don't want to miss out on the practicing. I want to learn how to really love and be a blessing to someone, not just to receive the blessing back, and not just to have a great relationship, but to also learn how to really love and be a blessing to God's heart.
Third, I will want to have managed my finances well enough to retire with dignity, and not a lot of worry.
Fourth, I will want to have kept my self in good physical condition and made my health a priority, so that when I retire, I'm not dealing with a lot of physical ailments. Instead, I can balance my retirement years with travel and leisurely pursuits along with actively working at whatever ministry God calls me to during those years.
Fifth, I'll want to feel that this world was made a better place because I was in it.
I'm kind of tired, and I can't think of any more...so I'm going to bed. Good night y'all.
Well first off, I'll want to feel confident that the plan and purpose God had for my life was at least to some extent, accomplished. Even if He only reveals His plan for me step by step, little by little, so that I'm not able to ever see the whole vision laid out before me, I'll want to feel confident that there were several times throughout my life where He called me to be obedient to certain tasks, and I was. I want to feel confident that when I see my Lord face to face, I'll hear Him say, "Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant!"
Second, I know that my maker is my husband (Isaiah 54) and all that. And I've been single for almost 43 years. I get by okay, and I can get by okay being single another 43 years or even longer if I have to. But to "avoid any trace of disappointment" in my life, I will want to have the experience of marriage. Not that I need a husband to validate me or complete me or anything like that. I just WANT that experience. I know it's not all roses and romance. I know it's a lot of hard work to keep a marriage strong and healthy. But like Pastor Greg says, marriage is for practicing our relationship with God - and I don't want to miss out on the practicing. I want to learn how to really love and be a blessing to someone, not just to receive the blessing back, and not just to have a great relationship, but to also learn how to really love and be a blessing to God's heart.
Third, I will want to have managed my finances well enough to retire with dignity, and not a lot of worry.
Fourth, I will want to have kept my self in good physical condition and made my health a priority, so that when I retire, I'm not dealing with a lot of physical ailments. Instead, I can balance my retirement years with travel and leisurely pursuits along with actively working at whatever ministry God calls me to during those years.
Fifth, I'll want to feel that this world was made a better place because I was in it.
I'm kind of tired, and I can't think of any more...so I'm going to bed. Good night y'all.
posted by clayandwater at
8:17 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home