Are you who you to be?

I went to the visitation tonight for a lovely lady from our church that passed away yesterday. As I waited in line I watched the slideshow of pictures that the family shared. James 4:14 kept coming to my mind. It says, "...You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away." That verse is sort of sad really, but I believe James was wise to include it. If we all remembered the truth of this verse, we would probably live differently. Other than the impact we have on those around us, there is very little about our lives that lasts. So, that means that the impact we have on others must be the most important thing about life. As I watched the slide show tonight and kept thinking of James 4:14, I was also blessed to overhear the impact this precious woman had on the crowds of people there. I think she must have known the significance of the imprint we leave on the lives around us. 

When I got in the car after the visitation, the song on the radio was "This is your life" by Switchfoot. The chorus says, "This is your life, are you who you want to be? This is your life, is it everything you dreamed that it would be?" I had to just grin at God. "Yes, I get it." My perspective is everything. Instead of getting hung up on the things that don't really matter, like toys all over the floor, having this thing or that thing, or being so easily hurt by things other people do or say, I need to stay focused on the only thing that really matters in the end. Is my life pointing to Christ? Am I leaving an imprint on others that blesses them? Do my kids know how much I love them? Does my husband know that he is and will always be the man of my dreams? Do my friends know that I pray for them daily? Does my family know that I feel privileged to be apart of their lives? In the end, that is what will matter. My life, just like yours, is just a vapor. The little things that bog me down won't even be a part of the slideshow at my visitation. The next time I am aggravated by Playdough all over the floor, I hope God gently jogs my memory again.

Today I am thankful for the reminder that I don't need to let the insignificant things of this life consume me. I need to remember that God placed me here, in this time period, in this family, in this town, with these friends, in these circumstances for a reason. The impact that I have on others and reflecting Jesus' love are what really matters. Thank you, Father, for reminding me.