Goodbyes

When Jesus is my portion
A constant friend is he
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he is watches over me... 

In tears, not knowing how to convey my thoughts, writing a blog post, seemed like the most therapeutic option for me to process things. Today has been a little much for me. It began with saying goodbye to Jodie, who has spent the last month here, and goodbyes have never really been my thing. Well emotional attachment is not my thing, but I won't let this post become that therapeutic... See even as I write, I am trying to joke with myself to lighten my own mood, but the fact is, the day only began there, and sadly, saying the planned goodbyes was not the prompting of this blog... Around lunch time today, a mission center/church collapsed, killing two people, one american, and one Ukrainian and badly injuring one other person that I am aware of at the moment. They were doing construction work, and according to the news article, infrastructure damage, caused the collapse. I don't have a lot of first hand information, mainly I've been keeping up with the news articles that come out, but the sad thing is, I knew the young Ukrainian guy that's life ended today. It really doesn't take much to be connected to a brother or sister in Christ. And when they're life ends, it is a mix feeling of tears of sorrow, and tears of happiness that they are reunited with their maker. But processing how a person can be here, and in a moment, be in a place that so many could be at, in a freak accident, be gone. No planned goodbyes, no goodbyes at all... 

It is a reminder, to each one of us, to live life. I am not talking about how to make the most money, buy luxury and happiness. I'm talking about living out life to the fullest. So many people think that they always have tomorrow. TOMORROW I will do this, some OTHER day I will do that... and they don't realize that those tomorrows turn into years... Years pass you by, and you stay stuck in a rut, not living your life the way God intended. Let me make it clear to you, YOU ARE NOT PROMISED TOMORROW. You are not exempt from freak accidents, or random death. You may grow old and have time later to live your life right, but are you really willing to take that gamble?

At any moment, my life could end. I am not promised another day. And if I were to die today, what would I be remembered for? That is the question we should all ask ourselves.... What was the last comment I posted on Facebook? What was the last conversation I had with my parents, or my friend? What lasting impression will people have of me? Moments like these, that force you to examine yourself, are moments to be grateful for...  Too many people that I know, live for today in ways that don't bring God glory. 

 They live for themselves. For selfish desires and ambitions. Not realizing that eternity is not a joke. I know that eternity is not a joke, and yet,often, my life depicts something different.Death is not off limits. Wherever you are, whatever you are struggling with, know, that God loves you. God cares for you. And even when freak things happen, even in death, God is victorious. And if you aren't living your life for God, get on your knees, and get right. Don't have a relationship with God to get right? Then send me a message on FB or email me. And to all of you who may read this and not allow it to move you to self examination, again, SERIOUSLY, tomorrow is not a guarantee, not even for you. 
I sing because I'm happy 
I sing because I'm free 
His eye is on the sparrow 




___________________________________________________________
Please be in prayer for the UMC missionary who is badly injured from the accident today, and for his family. 

Please pray for the American Missions team that is here, who lost a member of their team today. For the families affected.

Pray for the Ukrainian young man's family. 

Pray for the students who lost their friend. 

Pray for the mission interns who will have to run things, and help their congregation move forward. 
http://www.umc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=lwL4KnN1LtH&b=5259669&ct=12003495&notoc=1&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

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