Remembering ME

*** This post was originally drafted some time after November 9, 2014 and before April 23, 2016. Not sure of the exact date. Just realized that I never published it so thought I'd add the finishing touches.***

I've been thinking about death a lot lately. That tends to happen when someone you know and/or love passes away.

Soon after someone passes, if they are one of your friends on Facebook, you immediately begin to see the outpouring of love for that person. Memories are shared. Pictures are shared. And they give me a quick jolt of reality that one day, I too will die. That thought always leaves me to wonder what people will say about me when that happens? What pictures will they share (if any)? What kind words will they say about me (if any)? What impact will I have made on their lives (if any)?

I mean, these are things that I would like to know NOW while I am still alive, so that I can make improvements in areas that may need them. Although my hope is that when I die, I will have touched EVERYONE I know in a POSITIVE way that will have them more blessed for having known me, than if they had not. I would want people who "hear about me" to say, "Wow! Sounds like she was pretty special. Too bad I never got a chance to meet her."

But the reality is...not everybody will have flowery words to say. For those folks, I pray that God would pierce their hearts and make them realize that I wasn't who they thought I was. Had they taken time to actually get to know and UNDERSTAND me, they would have discovered that.

Two years before my Mom passed, she wrote her own obituary. She also knew who she WANTED to speak at her service, and who she DIDN'T. For the most part her wishes were honored...except for ONE person who I wish had kept his mouth shut, although even he acknowledged that his relationship with my Mom wasn't the best...so my thought was, WHY then did you get up to speak? Ugh! The things we do though to avoid "drama", so I let him have his 2 minutes and thankfully he was done.

I too have a list of those who I know could GENUINELY speak about me, and then there are others who don't really know me at all but would try to speak as if they did. Thank goodness I won't have to see any of that. I say that because I don't believe in "looking down from Heaven." I mean really...once one gets to Heaven...why on Earth would they EVER wanna "look down" and see all of the sadness and sorrow that occurs here? I mean, yeah...it would be cool if we could "look down" and only see "the GOOD stuff," but I just don't think that's how it works. I know that the majority of folks believe differently, and they get comfort in thinking that their loved ones "look down." If that gives them comfort, then so let it be.

But back to my original question. When my time comes, what WILL folks say about me?

I would hope that most would say the following:

• She loved helping and serving others.
• She loved children.
• She loved reading.
• She loved reading to children.
• She loved writing.
• She loved music.
• She loved to sing...and sang EVERYDAY.
• She loved to laugh and often made us laugh.
• She was downright funny.
• She was a loyal friend. If you told her something in secret, it stayed with her.
• She was trustworthy.
• She was forgiving (even to those who betrayed her the worst).
• She didn't have much to give financially, but what she could give, she did give.
• She tried to live a life that was pleasing to God.
• She failed at living a life that was pleasing to God...yet she continued to try.
• She prayed daily.
• She prayed for many.
• She prayed for those who loved her, and for those who SAID they loved her (but really didn't...she knew).
• She loved her kiddos: Lauren, Jordan and Terence.
• She may not have been the BEST Mom, but she did her best to be the best to them.
• She loved LOVE, even though love eluded her and never stuck around for very long.
• When she loved, she loved completely. And it took a LOT for that love to diminish. A WHOLE LOT.
• She loved nature.
• She saw the beauty in God's creation in many things that most folks overlooked.
• She appreciated every day that she had functioning EYESIGHT, as one of God's greatest gifts.
• She LOVED the ocean (her "Place of Peace").
• She always felt that she was living a life that was much too small for her.
• She hoped and prayed that she would one day grow into the life that God had purposed for her.
• Her presence was felt and brought positive energy to any space she occupied.
• Her presence was missed when she wasn't around.
• Her presence will be missed from this day forward.
• She loved the Lord with all her heart, mind and soul. She may not have always acted accordingly, but really, she did.
• Although she's no longer here on Earth, she is now happier that she ever was when she was here. This life was not always the kindest to her, and now those hurts will be no more.
• For those who loved her and want to see her again, BELIEVE in Christ as she did. Acknowledge that you are a sinner saved by grace. Confess that Jesus is Lord. Do those things and this will not have to be goodbye. It will simply be "see you later" and you WILL see her again.

So yeah. As morbid as this post may be to some, death is a reality for us ALL. But how many get to share...in advance...what they would like to be remembered for?

Think about it.

Then...

Let the DIALOGUE begin: What do YOU want folks to remember about YOU?

Talk to me!

Til next time...