Sorry, I’m going to get off my health series for a post to talk about something that I’ve been thinking/praying alot about.  Those of you who know me well know that I tend to chase rabbits alot and am easily distracted so sorry if mixing up the topics throws you off, but oh well.

This past week as I was driving home from work a couple days, Delila on KLTY was taking callers and asking the question: “If you were told you only had 24 hours to live, what would you do with your time?”  That question has really stuck with me over the past few days because it really makes you sit down and think about what things are the most important.  Cindy and I tend to be a little busy.  Our schedule is pretty hectic and has been since we met really.  So we tend to do as much as we can possibly squeeze into one day.  But if there was only 24 hours for you to live, you have to really look at your priorities and see what activites are the most important in your life. 

I really prayed alot about this for me and asked myself what I would do with my time.  Honestly…..I wouldn’t do a thing!  After really thinking about it, if I only had 24 hours to live, I would stay right here in my house with Cindy and Harper and have the best day of my life with them.  One of my favorite things to do in the world right now is to lay on the bed and wrestle with Harper.  Now that he’s 19 months he likes to climg all over me and jump on me and scream “I got you Daddy!”.  That’s the first thing I would do with my last morning.  I’d lay in bed with Cindy and Harper as long as we wanted and I’d wrestle with my little man while Cindy layed there and laughed like she does.  When we got up I’d sit down and eat breakfast with them and laugh my head off when Harper yells “HOOORRAAAYYY!!” when I bring him his hard boiled egg and banana for the morning…lol.  I’d sit in our spare bedroom looking out the window with Harper as the sprinklers hit the window and watch him giggle and try to catch the water while I look over his shoulder to make sure all the sprinkler heads are working just right and admire my awesome green lawn! I’d run and hide all over the house and listen to Harper shreek as he chases me around and laugh at him as he falls over on the floor as I jump over his head to dodge him.  We’d go out back and sit on our deck and hang our with our 2 bassett hounds, Bobby & Baxter and I’d watch Harper brush Baxter with his brush like he likes to do.  While Harper napped during the morning I’d just sit in our backyard swing with my gorgeous wife and just hang out.  When we were dating I used to just sit there and trace her face with my index finger and marvel that I was so blessed to be with someone so perfect…..I’d do that again.  We’d do lunch together as a family and I’d feed Harper his Seaweed sheets just to watch him stuff an entire sheet in his mouth again and point for another one before he’s chewed the first one!  When we were done eating, Cindy and I would sit in our living room and cheer Harper on as he runs around the house with his play vacuum cleaner yelling “Vvvrrooomm!! Vvvrroooom!!”.  After he got bored of that, I’d lay in the floor with him and read his Llama Llama Red Pajama book (his absolute favorite) and listen to him read along (he goes “llama, llama, llama over and over…lol). In the later afternoon we’d take Harper swimming (assuming my last day was summer) because he loves it so much and is doing so well with his lessons. 

After he got done swimming, I’d load him up in his Bob Jogging Stroller and Cindy and I would walk him around the park by her parents house and talk and pray and then take him swinging in the park out behind the dog park where he loves to watch the dogs run and play.  Then we’d come home and I would get Harper in for a bath and we’d play with his toys and I would try to reason with him for the millionth time that the “O” that he is playing with is yellow, but he’ll look at me and grin and say “Blue!!”.  I’d pull the plug on his bath and watch him play with the water as it drains and he’d say “Bye Bye bubbles!, Bye Bye toys!, Bye Bye star!”.  I’ll pull him out, wrap him up tight in his towel and we’d sit on the couch with Cindy and cuddle and laugh with him for a few minutes.  Then I’d take him back to his room and pray with him and hug on him for a few more precious minutes and then he’d say “Night Night Dadda” as he leans out of my arms towards his bed and I’d lay him down and sit there until he went to sleep.   Then I’d spend the rest of the time I had left with my bride without whom I would lost…

That’s what I would do….then when I think about it…this is what I would do on any given lazy Sunday with the family that I love.  I get discouraged alot of times because of things I can’t get done because I’m so busy all the time.  And I’ve been guilty of thinking about the things I need to do while spending time with Cindy and Harper.  But this week has really reaffirmed to me that God has blessed me beyond what I could’ve ever imagined.  And if my last day was tommorrow….I’d spend it with my wife and son and praise God with them for all the good times and all the victories we had for the past few years.   Then I’d go home to be with my God.  I’m happy to know that when my days are done I’ll spend eternity with him.  I pray every night for Harper to find the Lord at a young age like I did and to live sold out for Him.  So that’s me i guess….boring probably…but that’s me.

So what would you do with your time?  It’s a good reminder that it is closer than you think.  I heard a kid speak one time who had leukemia and was dying.  He was speaking to a auditorium of high school students and he said “People say they feel sorry for me because I’m dying, but you know what? I feel more sorry for you (as he pointed to the students).  You see, I know when I’m going to die and I’m using every single moment I have to the fullest and to tell everyone I know how much God loves them.  You? You don’t know when you’ll go….”  Are you using your time wisely?  Are you making an impact on your community and your world?  I pray I’m making a difference out there….sometiems it feels so small….but at least it’s something. 

Dr. JB

Tags: blessing, contentment, family, happiness, love, reflection, son, wife