Are you living today with the intention of a life you want to be remembered for? It might sound cliche or trite, the notion of living each day as though you were dying and intentional living. But it never feels more real or more important than when you are confronted with just how short our time here really is.
I have been especially quiet here on the blog and on social media this past week as I come to terms with the loss of my aunt Sandy. She passed suddenly and unexpectedly this past week at only 49.
I traveled home to be with my family and celebrate her life. While I was there soaking up all that time with family it really made me think a lot about life, death, and the kind of legacy I am leaving behind.
I focus so much on intentional living in this space because I strive to live my life for more than just getting by, more than just surviving the day to day. I try, and I fail daily, to live up to the intentions and the expectations I have for my life. But I just keep trying day after day.
When you’re struck with the loss of someone as kind, generous and selfless as my aunt Sandy was it really brings into sharp focus that we are not promised tomorrow and the life you’re living today is the only one you’re given.
The life you are living today, at this very moment, is the one you will be remembered for.
It doesn’t have to be a perfect one. No one’s is. But the greater sum of your life is made up of your smaller days. What do you do in your day to day? How do you behave each day? How do you treat others? Where is your focus?
You could have all of the best intentions in the world, but if you are not at least striving towards those intentions each day then you’re missing the point of intentional living.
I hope that my heart comes through in this post and in all the words that I have to say in my online space.
At the end of the day I want my time here on earth to be measured by two things:
How did I treat others?
Did I love the Lord with all my heart and use my life to point others to Jesus?
That’s it.
Everything I strive to do falls under that umbrella.
How am I being intentional in my marriage?
How am I showing God’s Grace and shaping and molding my children to be good people in my parenting?
How am I being intentional in my finances, saving money and being secure financially so that I can be in a place to bless others?
How am I taking care of my health and this one body I’ve been given so that I can continue to show up for those around me?
Every aspect of my life can come back around to my core values, the Golden Rule. Treat others the way you want to be treated. And glorify God in all that you do.
We are not promised this time here on earth. You may have the next 40 years and you may only have the next 40 minutes.
I would encourage you to take a look at your days. Because how you’re showing up in your days is how you are showing up for your life.
Have you been putting off pursuing that big dream? Go after it! What’s the worst that can happen? You fail? Then get back up and try again.
Have you been putting yourself on the backburner or running yourself to the point of burn out? Make your own mental, emotional and physical wellbeing a priority. You can only help others and truly pour into the lives of those around you when you’re not running on an empty tank.
Don’t wait till tomorrow to do that thing, make that call, chase those dreams, profess your faith. Because you might not have tomorrow.
If there are two things that I know about my aunt Sandy it’s that she was selfless and treated those around her like they were the most special person. And she lived her life as an example of her faith. She professed her love of Jesus loud and proud.
I hope when it’s my time that those two things can be said of me as well. That I treated others well. And that I loved the Lord loud and proud.
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