This morning I went grocery shopping with my daughter, Lexi, at the local Super Wal-Mart. We arrived around 8:30am to a relatively empty parking lot, which is a good sign, and began our journey up and down the long isles. As we were filling our cart with all kinds of healthy goodies (there is no such thing), I kept trying to remember what we already had in the cupboards at home so I didn’t double up on items. It is inevitable that I always buy something we do not need. FYI – we have two bottles of BBQ sauce in the cupboard in addition to the one in the refrigerator. After our leisurely stroll through each isle, we headed to the check-out, paid the cashier, and loaded the groceries into the car. When we arrived home, I quickly unpacked the bags and began the worst part of grocery shopping…putting everything away. While I was placing the recently purchased items in the fridge, I was finding stuff which had expired a few weeks earlier. There was the coffee creamer which was best if used by March 2008 (it is May by the way). I also found some soy milk which had expired three weeks ago ( I hope my son has not been drinking it). What did people do before they labeled products “Best if Used By”? A sure-fire way to test expiration is the old “sense of smell.” If it smells disgusting, throw it out. Milk is the worst, especially when you pour it out and instead of fluid, you get chunks! It is enough to make you gag! Anyway, these expiration dates are very helpful because they allow us to gage the usefulness of a certain product. A thought came to my mid while I was pouring out the mud-like milk…I wish life came with a “Best if Used By” date. Really. Maybe you think I am totally crazy, but I believe you would agree that it would be nice if you knew when your number was up so you could make the most of your life. On the other hand, I think God is wise in not allowing us to know when we will die. At the core of this issue is that He wants us to live everyday as if it was our last. Think back on the last day, the last week, and the last year. Have you spent your time wisely? Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus in regards to the wise use of time:Ephesians 5:15 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, 16 Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

My intention is not to make you think of death, but to think of life. You have been given one shot at it – don’t waste it.

I’m sitting in Mo Joes Coffee House and Café and they are playing one of those radio stations which conjure up memories of my childhood. I don’t have to explain it to you because you are well aware of the power of music to be able to take you back to a place in your past. For me, the song playing was James Taylor’s “How Sweet it is to Be Loved by You.” My brother, Tim, was a big fan of James Taylor while we were growing up and I used to make fun of him because the music was not my style. As time went on (and after hearing James Taylor over and over from the walls of my brother’s room) listening caused me to slowly fall in love with his music. He had this simple way of stripping away all the extra stuff and making you listen to the words. Don’t get me wrong…James Taylor is an amazing guitar player, but there is something about his voice and the words which cause people to listen to more than just the instruments. His songs tell a story and make you (or at least me) want to hear more. A good story always leaves us wanting to hear more. This is why at the end of a great concert there is always an encore. That is why a good movie has a sequel (sometimes). This is why your kids always ask for one more story before they go to bed…they want to hear more. Our life is a story we are writing each day. There are countless characters, many sub-plots, and lots of drama…even for people who think their life is boring. I guess the question I have for myself is “do people want to see more of my life?” Do they want to know more because of what they already see? I’m not implying that life is the simple acquiring of attention from others, but rather time spent pointing other people to the One who has given and sustains life. I want my story to begin and end with Him. I want Him to chose the characters, the plots, and the roads traveled. Thanks, Aaron, for reminding me that God writes a much better story than I do!