Whether or not there is frosting on the cake I may or may not have tonight (after turning 66 at 5:07 am this morning), I find myself using that phrase more and more. I have won the lottery many times over. Whenever I stop to consider the full and rich life I have experienced---in terms of people who love me and people I love---in terms of experiences I have had and shared with others, filled with laughter and joy---in terms of all the places I have traveled including this current homestead in Anchorage---everything that I get to enjoy from now on is more "frosting on the cake".
"Teach us to number our days..." That wise counsel from the psalmist has hit home hard as I have learned of the deaths of two priest/friends in just the past week. Eric and I graduated from seminary and were ordained together. He died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 63. George was a priest who became a bishop, a fellow Dodger fan. With another friend we visited Cooperstown in New York many years ago, a day long road trip I will never forget. He died shortly after a stroke at the age of 68. Now 66 as of this morning, May 25th, I am trying with more intention and mindfulness to make every day count.
But then there was the horrible moment Kathleen and I witnessed just two days ago. A young boy who appeared to be about 12 rode past us in the cross walk on his bike as we waited for the left turn arrow to turn green. He made eye contact with Kathleen as if to be sure she saw him crossing. A moment later, out of our view, we heard a loud thud and suddenly saw his body flying across the street and dropping on the pavement. Some bystanders picked him up and brought him to the sidewalk. We do not know his fate but the ambulance drivers did not rush off after loading him on the stretcher or appear to administer any aid. We pray for him, his family, and the man who hit him, who walked heartbroken back to the scene.
I know scripture tells us there is a time to be born and a time to die but it is frustratingly not clear why some lives are cut so short, so suddenly, whether that be 12 or 63 or 68. It continues to be all frosting on the cake for me, but I hope I can use whatever time I have left---three days or three decades---to let the power of God's love be the driving force in my life as we heard Bishop Michael Curry preach so powerfully at the Royal Wedding. And, as Richard Baxter's hymn puts it, "let all thy days be filled with praise, whoever lives."
John
P.S. Kathleen took this photo of me jogging on a park path just across the street from St.Mary's a few mornings ago.
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ReplyDeleteGreat blog, John, especially for those of us reaching the Psalm 90 realm: "70 is the sum of our years or 80 if we are strong..." Regardless of when we meet God "face to face," we must commit now, rather than later, to The Movement...or as PB Curry would call it, the Jesus Movement. Our bible study yesterday was based on a sermon by a Lutheran priest who exhorts us to "jump in fully." Seems like a concentrated experience of observable grace these past couple of days: Pentecost day, your blog, our bible study, and yesterday's Reclaiming Jesus event in DC. "Someone" is reminding us of a message.
ReplyDeleteOnce again...a very happy and blessed birthday!
It’s so great you have this blog as we still get to have your wisdom and witvand experience your adventure. Yes at 72 I find these words so tryecc
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