Packed and Ready to Go


 

Since the winds have finally stripped the trees of the last of their leaves, clean up has begun in the neighborhood. Many houses share some version of this image - a clean lawn with a crowded curb. But this house stood out for its neatness. Instead of bags of leaves tossed haphazardly as trash piled at the curb for pick up, it seems as if these leaves were all packed up and ready to go on a vacation to some exotic destination.
Over the past few weeks I have had the sacred privilege of sharing in several memorial services. As we celebrated and remembered the lives of those we love but see no more, thoughts always turn to being “ready” for that transition when it comes. We can be “ready” by striving to live our life as the person we are called to be, by investing our lives in things of ultimate value and by being kind, loving and grace-filled people toward all. We can be “ready” by trusting our lives now to the love and grace of God. We can be ready by living life to the full.
In the Book of Proverbs we read, “The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing.” It is a good thing to prepare and be ready. We should not wait to be the person we wish to be. We should not wait to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We should not wait to be kind and loving and gracious. We should not wait to embrace peace with God. Instead, we should live our lives as if we were “packed and ready to go”. Then we will live life to the full, no regrets.
Peace.

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