The Journey

Yesterday, I had the great privilege to go to a funeral.  It was for my best friend's field hockey coach that died a few weeks ago.  I went to support my best friend as this was a long time mentor in her life and after whom she named one of her daughters.  She was beloved by so many people and had touched so many lives throughout her short 58 years.  While funerals are not always at the top of my list - it truly was an honor and blessing to be there.  Attending a funeral is almost as intimate as attending a birth because this life we are given is such a gift. After all, a funeral is a reflection and snapshot of a person's time here on earth.

Because I only knew this woman through stories and through the ways she had changed my best friend, I was able to sit back and truly just listen and hear the heart of every person that was speaking about her.  They talked about how when she was diagnosed in the spring with pancreatic cancer, she decided that this was a journey and how she was going to surround herself with people to go for the ride.  As they shared about weekly times of laughter, prayer, tears and sorrow - it made me think about our journey.

How many of us are on life's journey and do not surround ourselves until we are in a situation of crisis?    How many of us do not sit and just enjoy one another until we realize time is about to run out?

There is nothing wrong with waiting, but we all miss out.  We all say we are "busy" but aren't we just busy filling our time?!

I used to do this statement with the youth group and ask them how they would feel if they knew that someone in the room was dying.  I would ask how they would change what they were doing.  Of course there were many answers of how they would appreciate one another.  Then they would ask me who was dying and I would tell them that all of them were dying.  It is true!

We do not know what today holds let alone tomorrow.  While this may sound like an extreme, we should be living like we have Cancer and start a new journey today.  We should surround ourselves with people that can go along our journey to laugh and cry with us.  Why do most of us wait?
Who is on your life journey that will carry you all the way to your death?

This wonderful woman, Emma Owen, impacted so many people and always had people along the journey.  It was evident by the standing room only.  Every story I have ever heard about her was about how she impacted people around her.  Even to her death, she made sure to impact those around her.  She made everyone in her life feel precious and special.

Live your life today as if you have Cancer - because you do!  There is no promise of tomorrow so who is on your journey today?
If you haven't lived your life this way until now.  Stop what you are doing now, get un-busy, and take heart to love those around you.

Here is a song from Hillsong that touches my heart.

Take Heart lyrics

[Verse 1:]
There is a light
It burns brighter than the sun
He steals the night
And casts no shadow
There is hope
Should oceans rise and mountains fall
He never fails

[Chorus:]
So take heart
Let His love lead us through the night
Hold on to hope
And take courage again

[Verse 1:]
In death by love
The fallen world was overcome
He wears the scars of our freedom
In His Name
All our fears are swept away
He never fails

[Bridge:]
All our troubles
And all our tears
God our hope
He has overcome

All our failure
And all our fear
God our love
He has overcome
All our heartache
And all our pain
God our healer
He has overcome

All our burdens
And all our shame
God our freedom
He has overcome

All our troubles
And all our tears
God our hope
He has overcome

All our failures
And all our fear
God our love
He has overcome

God our justice
God our grace
God our freedom
He has overcome

God our refuge
God our strength
God is with us
He has overcome


John 13:34
"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way Iloved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."