Live and Live Well

If you blog-surf (no, I don't have time to, but I do it anyway!) you may have already seen this. I came across it -- NO idea where -- last week and have thought about it once a day (at least) since then. Many of you have heard of the death of Kyle Lake, baptist preacher in Waco, who was electrocuted while baptizing a young lady. For the record -- the last "blog rumor" I have read about is that he was, in fact, using a cordless, battery-operated microphone, but the pump to the baptistry was faulty and as he reached for the metal microphone pole the circuit was complete and that is the shock that killed him. I have read several things about him that make me wonder why in the world a life so passionate for lost souls would be cut so short. I simply must trust God that His will be done.

About a week ago I came across the last sermon he wrote. I don't know if he ever got an opportunity to speak it. But it speaks volumes now:

LIVE. And Live Well.

BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply.

Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now.

On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.

If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE.

Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.

If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash then crash well.

Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed.

If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all… because soon he’ll be wiping his own.

If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well.

At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke.

And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven.

And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship.

Taste every ounce of Life.

Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift.