Thoughts on death...and Life

Today I went to the funeral of the Father of one of my best friends. Her Dad was an amazing man, accomplished linguist, (10 languages), an Old Testament scholar of renown, loving husband and engaged Father. He died this past week - his 82-year-old body just gave out from old age. The end. Finished. No second chances to fix things. He's experiencing eternity...now.

His son did the euleogy - a beautiful sermon. The son spoke of how his "Pop" loved him. Pop loved him with actions and words and time and focus and more time. Love in action.

Matthew 25:14-30 was mentioned at length. Do you know it? It's the parable of the talents. Let me refresh your memory. A landowner was headed out on a trip. Before he left, he called a meeting with his servants and "entrusted his property to them" (gave them varying amounts of money) "each according to to his ability". The Master left and the servants got busy (or not). When he came back from his trip, he asked them for an accounting of his property (the money-or talents) he had entrusted to them. Two of the servants had doubled their money - they had worked hard and used their talents to create even more for their Master's benefit. So far so good. "Well done, good and faithful servant!...come and share your master's happiness!" Then came an accounting from the last servant--he just gave back the original talent. No return on that talent at all. Here's his excuse..."I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground". Needless to say the Master was furious at the waste. "You wicked, lazy servant!...You should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that I could have at least received it back with interest!"

My friend's brother then went on and spoke about how his Pop had used his many talents doubling and tripling them for the Lord's glory.

Hmmm...so, how are you doing? I don't know about you, but on a reflective day like today, when I hear this passage (one of the last parables Jesus ever gave) I am convicted. Am I using up and doubling, tripling the investment God has created in me? Or am I letting FEAR or even worse...LAZINESS keep me from being the woman I was created to be?

As I'm getting ready to add another precious child to my already busy life I pray I will be able to be fearless and industrious in my work, and in my love. Playing school with Amelia working on her letters, inviting the "Craft Lady" to come do crafts, or maybe a session with "Bernice the Beautician" is in order playing with her hair. And how about scheduling my work so when I am with them I'm really with them...not checking emails, or on the phone, or doing laundry, or checking emails, or reading blogs or stuck with my nose in a book or, or, or....but am really, truly with them...actions showing love, love in action. That's what they will remember.

Thank you Joel for your words today. Thank you for reminding me of what's really important in life...

The end of that parable is really interesting. The Master didn't just get mad at the lazy servant, he took the talent from him and gave it to the one who had the best return on his investment. "For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance."

I want that abundance. My prayer is that I will be willing to do more, to be more, to have more, to give more...so that at the end, I can hear "Well done good and faithful servant, come and share your Master's happiness!"

Love ya!