Sandcastles and Signs

Our church is going through the book "One Month to Live" by Kerry and Chris Shook. It is set up to read one chapter/message each day for one month. We read the days individually, Matt (as pastor) sends out an email each day and asks for feedback; and then we have a discussion on Sunday night. It has been amazing, my only regret is that with me being sick and the kids being sick, I have missed too much. And due to my own lack of prioritizing right - I have missed reading several days. BUT... I want to share about the past 2 days:


Yesterday, Matt sent out an email that said this:



Ok..simple question today…looking for lots of responses…



Which ‘sign’ do you have the most trouble obeying? Why?



Have a blessed day!




To which I replied - "The 70 mile per hour sign on I-4" ;)

He wasn't as amused as I was. Oh well. The only other reply he got until last night was from Jenn that said "Call me blonde, but what signs" Love you Jenn ;)

Matt was giving me the look last night like Jenn and I were in 5th grade giving him goofy answers to a test - lol. I think we may be in trouble on Sunday - lol... But he loves us :) Jenn did figure it out, and I did go read yesterdays message and I wrote him a "sincere" email response last night, plus he got one more from a guy in church, so he was happy :)

Synopsis from the book
4 SIGNS:

1. One Way Streets... there are 2:

1. Admit my need for God in all my life situations, especially the most difficult ones.
2. Realize that God is the only One who can lead me in the right direction.

2. Stop Sign - stop, look, and listen.
We often get so caught up in what we don't have, that we overlook the possiblilities of what God has already given to us. Stop worrying, and Start looking!
Take everything we have and give it to God - our time, talent, resources, and energy... all are God's starting place in our lives. Our willingness to surrender ALL to God activates God's intervention and blessings.

3. U Turns Allowed
Make a U-Turn from a negative direction to a positive direction

4. Yield Ahead
It's essential that we begin serving others with the blessings that God has already given us.

(That is my thoughts on the authors four points mentioned)

For me, I think the hardest two signs are the Stop Sign and the U-Turns allowed. I worry way too much and I easily overlook what He has already given me. And...I have a negative attitude WAY too much, and need to focus more on what God has for me today - the blessings, the callings, my LIFE.


And then today's reading... "Sandcastles"
It could be another post easily; but I will keep it short ;)

Symbolizes our lives as sandcastles that we pour our time, talent, energy, finances, our EVERYTHING that God has given us; and one day the water will wash it all away - Will we leave a legacy? Are we investing in eternal things or temporary things? The only true eternal things are relationships and sharing God in our relationships.

In Matt's email he asked us to write a sentence (15 words or less) for how we want to be remembered at the end of our life. In the book, it asks us to write our obituary. Starting with our as it has been so far and then continue it well into the future. What do you want to be known for when you pass on? What legacy will you leave in your relationships?

This has caused me to think seriously this morning. Some things I would have previously said were probably a waste of my time, I now consider valuable resources of my time. And some things that I stress over every day, because I don't do them well enough are probably not that important anyway.

I am going to leave this post with 2 statements - 1. How I want to be remembered and 2. What I hope to change in my life from this point on to work towards leaving the legacy that I want to leave.

1. I want to be remembered as:
Someone who loved God sincerely, showed my love for God and people in a "real" way, loved my family deeply, cared about people in need, a child advocate, an advocate for life - both born and unborn, and a person whose life people saw Jesus in; a person who leaves a legacy of LOVE - love for God and love for people.

2. How I hope/need to change to work towards being remembered that way:
I need to be more careful with the words that I say to my children. I may show them love, and give a lot of myself to them; but I know that my words hurt them at times. I need to be a better helpmate to Matt. This is one area that I think God has called me to specifically, but I probably neglect the most. I need to give more, care more, show love more to people in need. Sure I give food to the homeless, we support a World Vision Child, we do foster care... but I see kids in desperate situations on television, through World Vision emails, etc - and my kids have so many toys that we can't keep them all put away - not a great example of good stewardship. I want to teach my children to love God first and to love all people. We talk about this daily, and I wonder why when I focus on it so much they continue to fight so much. Perhaps it is because instead of taking them to visit a lonely widow in the nursing home they are playing with their Nintendo DS, instead of cleaning out their toys to give to the Salvation Army, they are playing games on the computer or Wii. Matt and I TRULY set out with the intention of teaching our kids to LOVE and to not be so self-absorbed in "today's" world - but we have gotten sidetracked on that road. I don't think I need to throw the t.v. out the door - although it really wouldn't bother me ONE BIT and I have threatened to do so MANY TIMES!! ;) I think there can be mutual ground...they can have toys and enjoy childhood - as long as they care more about others in need and are being taught to care about those in need and being taught to be WILLING to do something about it - to be compassionate and be willing to DO something to make a difference, rather than just feeling sorry for less fortunate people, and remaining where they are in their life with their "too much" stuff.

Same goes for me... I give...I give of my time, my money, my "self"; sometimes I don't know how I can give anymore - BUT if I were to let GOD be in complete control of my life, let HIM set my priorities, then I wouldn't be so stressed that I can't sleep at night. If I gave my schedule to God, I wouldn't dread looking at my calendar. If I gave my every minute and every decision to God, then I wouldn't be forced to be evaluating my life so much today - as to what needs to change to accomplish how I want to be remembered. If I lived my every moment with and for God, then there would be no question about the legacy I will leave when the time comes that the waters wash away my "sandcastle".

Worry and stress, trying too hard, not giving it to God - my biggest challenges...Loving God, loving others, showing others God's love in my life - those are the goals I want to achieve.