Here or There

It's amazing how our neatly packed bags seemed to overflow into the entire house where we stayed for our Thanksgiving vacation. From the front porch to the widow's walk at the top of the house, we had stuff everywhere. About mid week I thought about reorganizing everything...and then laid on the couch and watched a movie. It was vacation after all. And it's been about four years since I last laid on the couch and watched a movie, so I figured I was overdue.

Of course, that lazy hour on the couch meant that packing up and loading this morning took longer than we wanted it to. Room by room, we sorted and packed making sure to look under the beds and couches for single socks and small toys. After we loaded the car, kids included, Tony and I took one last walk through the house to make sure we hadn't missed anything. It was strange to see the house so bare and solemn after our family had covered every inch of it just a few hours earlier. Walking from room to room, I thought to myself, "It looks as if we'd never even been here." 

What if we walk through this life, taking silent footsteps, leaving no trail, our self fading like the ghostly fog under an early morning sun? What if, when we are gone, the world looks just as if we'd never been there?  

If we choose to serve ourselves rather than those around us, if we choose to keep silent, rather than share His story, if we choose to live for the world, rather than live for the Next, then when our time on earth ends, we will find we've left no mark. Just as if we'd never been there. 

Love the unlovely, serve, share a Story that can change the world, do unto others, forgive, give generously, show the world that God loves them so much, that He gave Everything just for them. 

Like an empty room, devoid of color and shape and texture, limp and forlorn, lacking luster is a life lived while the world goes on just as if we'd never been there. 

Matthew 5:13

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.