The Brevity of Life

This summer has been culture shock for me.
At the beginning of the summer, the first friend of mine around my age got married. This shocked me. We’re not old enough to get married! But yes, I suppose we are. As I entered into a courtship just a few weeks later, I realized anew just how time flies. How did we go from little girls playing dress up to attending each other’s weddings? Where did the time go?

Then today I found out news that stunned me. A childhood friend of mine died. She and I weren’t close friends when we were young, and completely lost touch as we grew older. But still. I knew her; I played with her not too many years ago. “We’re too young to die!” was my first thought. Death is for the old, for the feeble...not a 22 year old young woman. But no, we aren’t too young to die.

Life is but a breath. Fleeting.
In the past several years I have had a phrase that comes to mind over and over and over. Seize the moment. Seize the moment. Seize the moment. It is hard for me to seize the moment sometimes. I am so prone to let impatience try to rush me along, not allowing me to enjoy the season I am in because I am too busy worrying about and longing for the next one.
But then I look around, see how much life has changed so quickly, see how much people have changed and I cry out “Oh Lord, help me live today for you. Don’t let me waste this life you have given me!”

Time is such a precious gift, but so easy to waste. I love the quote “Do you love life? Then do not waste time, for time is what life is made of.” That is so true. The little decisions, the melancholy tasks that I perform day to day. That is my life. Not a moment of it should be wasted.
After considering this topic for quite some time, I came across and read Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper a year or two ago. It really helped define all of the things about life and time and living each day to it’s fullest for Christ and renewed my perspective of life in general. Anyone who hasn’t read it needs to!

There is a country song out by Kenny Chesney called Don’t Blink which I decided to post here. I found it quite thought provoking.

1st Verse
I turned on the evenin' news
Saw an old man being interviewed
Turnin' a hundred and two today
They asked him what's the secret to life
He looked up from his ol' pipe
Laughed and said, 'All I can say is'

Chorus
Don't blink
Just like that
You're six years old and you take a nap
And you wake up and you're twenty-five
And your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don't blink
You just might miss your babies growin' like mine did
Turnin' into moms and dads
Next thing you know
Your better half of fifty years is there in bed
And you're prayin' God takes you instead
Trust me friend
A hundred years goes faster than you think
So don't blink

2nd Verse
I was glued to my TV
When it looked like he looked at me
And said, 'Let's start puttin' first things first'
'Cause when your hourglass runs outta sand
You can't flip it over, start again
Take every breath God gives you, for what it's worth

(Repeat Chorus)

Bridge
So I been tryin' to slow it down
I been tryin' to take it in
In this here today, gone tomorrow world we're livin' in

(Repeat Chorus)

Tag
Naw, don't blink
Don't blink
Life goes faster than you think
Don't blink
Life goes faster than you think
Don't blink
Don't blink
Life goes faster than you think