Life is short. I can’t seem to comprehend that statement. Life is short. There are hints all around: sickness/disease, funerals, Bible scriptures, seasons, friends in the final stages of cancer, broken gifts that break my heart, and so much more. But do I really understand that life is short?

Every day I’m focused on today and what’s happening: work, dishes, coffee with friends, trying to be the best me I can be, laundry, eating breakfast while driving, raking leaves, and so my life goes. I struggle with how to keep the perspective that this life is short so make it count at the same time that I’m “doing” life.

In Colossians 3:1-2, I read “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” How on earth (pun intended) am I supposed to do that? Set my mind on things above. Christ is seated at the right hand of God IN heaven. I interpret this as keep your mind on heaven, at the very minimum. (“Jesus…is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2)

My husband has been doing this very well – he’s constantly talking about how he wants his house in heaven to look like (root beer trees as an example) and continually trying to figure out when he is going to get there.

I had a very interesting reaction to a gift that was given to me for my birthday. My reaction took me completely by surprise and I think it was God helping me to understand that life is short.

To help give some background and describe me a little bit, I do not get sentimental with things. I don’t hold on to the doll that Sally gave me in the 2nd grade because it meant so much to me. Nope, not me at all. I don’t even remember that Sally gave me anything, and I tossed the doll once I stopped playing with it.

That is why, when I received the gift in the mail and I completely fell apart – sobbing and all – that I surprised myself so much of this (frankly) embarrassing reaction! It was completely NOT me! However, it was not the gift itself that caused me to be the blubbering fool, but it was that the gift was broken when it arrived.

Oh, I could tell that the sender took great precautions to keep it safe: bubble wrap everywhere, sturdy box, lots of tape, etc. And yet, it still shattered into pieces.

I think it is the same with us. We take all sorts of precautions to keep our life “safe,” and all the while, we don’t have any control over the length of our days. Sure, we can (and should!) eat right, exercise, get lots of sleep, be safe on the road, etc., but at any moment “Fool! This night your soul is required of you…” (Luke 12:20)

Lord, help me to keep my mind set on things above and on You, and “teach me to number my days that I may gain a heart of wisdom!” (Psalm 90:12)

“The grass withers, the flower fades but the word of our God will stand forever.”  (Isaiah 40:8)