When I see a cool picture of a train, I think of my friend Denny Haight and post it to his Facebook page.
When I see a post about bacon, I think of my friend Shirley Dye, and post it to her page.
When I see something amusing about wine drinking, I think of my friend Bob and message it to him.
When I see or hear something interesting that involves violins or cellos, I think of my niece, Stephanie, and share it with her.
People are often sharing quotes or memes about books with me, jokes they figure I'll like, anti-Hillary memes, anti-Trump memes......
We can be known for many things. I have had people ask me for help in finding a song, advice on what Bible or Bible translation to use, advice on authors to read, good books to read on a certain topic or subject, advice on how to handle same-sex attractions, and more.
No one ever comes to me and asks mechanical advice....... I am not known for my mechanical expertise.
No one ever comes to me for advice on the fantasy football league, because everyone knows I intensely dislike football.
But when we are lying under the ground and all that is left of us is ashes and memories, what will people remember about us? What will people remember about me?
They will most likely remember I loved to tell jokes, that I was an avid reader, that I liked to write, that I loved my nieces and nephews like they were my own kids and enjoyed spending time with them. They may remember my sarcastic wit - or just my sarcasm.
But will they remember me as a good Christian? Will they remember me as generous, loving, compassionate, faithful to God, a good friend?
I look at where God has brought me from, and am amazed at His mercy, grace, love, and forgiveness...... and how much He has changed me.... but many of those changes are changes people can't see nor do they know about. Then I look at where I feel I need to be, and am at times discouraged. I fear sometimes people may look at me and see only the bad and the many areas I need to improve in, and never see beneath the surface to the man God is slowly shaping me into..... slow only because I am a difficult piece of clay to work with.
May God help me, and all of us who follow Him, to be known as loving, compassionate, and faithful followers of Him that are truly like Jesus.
As I have been thinking along these lines, this song came to my mind. Even though it is written by a woman to be biographical, it goes with what I tried to say.
She Loved
Someone once asked
If only you knew
How short life would be
What would you do?
What would they say
When God called you home?
What would they engrave
Once you were gone?
I hope they would see
What I've done in my life
Who I've cared for
And how I survived
I hope they'd say
Chorus:
She loved more than anything else
She loved with all of her heart
She loved everyone she believed in
She loved...oh she loved
She loved the Lord
And served all her life
A sacrificial mother
And an honorable wife
She gave all she had
And through every trial
Made life much sweeter
Because of her smile
Everyone will see
What she's done in her life
Who she cared for
And how she survived
I'm sure they'd say
Chorus:
She loved more than anything else
She loved with all of her heart
She loved everyone she believed in
She loved...oh she loved
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