Posts
Tuesday, August 7
If you read my last post, Hold Onto Your Fork...The Best is Yet to Be, then you know about
the fork I hung on the refrigerator with a red ribbon. (You can read it here if
you missed it.)
In a comment on that post, my friend Carol said that she had
heard the same story, but the version she heard ended with the man being buried
with the fork in his hand. I don’t remember if the version I heard had that
ending or not. Too long ago.
It didn’t occur to me until I read Carol’s comment that I
should have included something I told my husband. I told him that I wanted to
be buried holding onto that beribboned fork.
I mentioned that to Carol in my comment back to her which triggered
one of those idea bulbs: what else do I wish to have buried with me?
Is it another object, like the fork? Or is it something more
intangible, like the good thoughts of others? If that’s the case, then how did
they see my life?
I made this little image and have it on my site (if you’re
reading this by email):
So, am I living a parrot
life? Will I be buried with others’ whispers of animosity or words of a life
well-lived?
A couple of years ago, I wrote another post called Dash Days: Wasted or Worthwhile? I wrote about that dash between the dates on one’s gravestone. In part, I wrote
this:
Paul’s exhortation to the Thessalonians
is also for us. He pointed out that their “daily lives should not embarrass God
but bring joy to Him Who invited you into His Kingdom to share His glory.” (1
Thess. 2:12 TLB)
How, then, do we make the right
decisions to honor the Lord within us? What will keep us within His safe
borders? The answer? Knowing the Lord, staying rooted in His Word, and trusting
Him to help us make the right choices.
Scripture tells us how to make our days
worthwhile through the words of Solomon, “I, Wisdom, will make the hours of
your day more profitable and the years of your life more fruitful” (Prov. 9:11
TLB), and Isaiah, “I shall walk carefully all my years.” (Is. 38:15b NKJV)...
The effects of the decisions you make
in your lifetime leave telltale signs of your character, and that is what
people will remember about your dash days.
That thought prompts this thought: How do I live my life
now? What does my life say to others? What telltale memories will I be buried with?
Will others remember me as selfish or selfless? Loving or unloving? Honoring
God or honoring self?
Paul told the Ephesians how to live, “So live as people of
light! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and
true.” (Eph. 5:8b-9 NLT)
He also told the Colossians to “walk worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the
knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10 NKJV)
I know I fail at times but that verse is my life’s goal. May
it be your life’s goal as well.
* What is your life’s
goal?
* Are you living a parrot life?
* What memories do
you wish to be buried with?
*Twenty more posts to go!
**Today, I’m hooking up with
the monthly blog chain through Christianwriters.com on the topic of “memory.”
Check out the rest of the great posts by the chain gang in the right sidebar.
Dash Days - I like that! I only know that I can work on loving others like the Father loves me - I cannot rely on people judging my actions the way I intend them - I can only love in those dash days the best I can and with pure intent. I think I would want people to say that I tried my best to live what I believe and it helped somebody, encouraged somebody to see God's love more!
Amen, Maryleigh! That is the best! Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Always love seeing you! Blessings to you, sweetie!
Amen, amen.
Thanks for this post, Lynn. It's a reminder to me also to live each day to its fullest and stop waiting for "the perfect day". Sometimes (especially when life is discouraging), it's so easy to get bogged down in the "what if's", "if only's" and "someday's" The danger, though, is that life slips by and before we realize it, our "dash days" have amounted to nothing. What a compelling post!
A Word Fitly Spoken
http://DanaRongione.blogspot.com
Denise, thank so much for taking time to read and comment. I appreciate it! Bless you!
Such a great comment, Dana! Thank you so much for visiting and commenting. Makes my heart happy. Bless you!
Well, Lynn that was fun to see myself here on your blog! Thank you for your great post expanding on the fork and reminding us that we all have parrots perched on the curtain rod...listening...
I have read that fork story too but it was a woman. great message though.
This is a very thought provoking post - one I reread several times.
I would love to come up with succinct message for my tombstone - not buried under the ground but an inspirational, yet memorable message that may hit a stranger wandering through the cemetery 100 years from now.... now you go me thinking. HA
I don't know anything physical that I want buried with me, but I love the thought of being buried with the good thoughts of others. The parrot quote is very thought-provoking... Thanks for sharing.
Most days I think the best I can hope for in my coffin or on my tombstone or in people's thoughts is "She tried her best." I hope that even in my failures and most selfish moments, God can show love through me to others.
when the parrot starts blabbing in the great courtroom my advocate has a seamless garment to cover his cage.
biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig hug
Hey, Carol! Sorry you read it here. I was hoping to email first. Thanks so much, sweetie! And thanks for the spark! Blessings!
Yeah, thinking of a tombstone phrase is difficult, Jean. How do you condense your life into one sentence and make if meaningful? Whew! Thanks so much, sweetie! Bless you!
Lisa, I love that quote. Glad you liked it. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. I appreciate it. Blessings to you!
Joy, that's always a good one: She tried her best. And I'm sure god's love flows out of your to others because it's your heart's desire. Thanks so much for visiting. Bless you!
LOL Jacky, I love that! Such an awesome thought! Thanks! Blessings to you!
All good thoughts and points, Lynn. We do need to watch how we live our lives. I've heard another quote as well, a Cherokee saying: When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.
Ceci, I've heard that one, too. I love it. Thanks so much for posting it. I need to save it! Blessings!