Monday, April 14, 2008

What would you do if today was your last day on earth?

I already have this posted on facebook/myspace, but thought I should just add it to this page so all of my rants/raves can be together. Disregard if you've read it..or feel free to re-read it, as I occasionally find the need to to remind myself how precious life is....

"Live every day as if it were your last."

That’s a quote that probably all of us have heard, but do we really do that? I realized that in my life, the only time i used that expression is for an excuse to live a wild and fun life, doing things that I know that I really shouldn’t.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about death;
Am I ready for it? Is anyone ready for it?
The thought of living this life that I have been given and then someday having it all taken away and not waking up the next day is a scary thought.

Thankfully, I am confident that if it does happen sooner than I expected, I will be greeted in a world of paradise, where I would wonder why I ever would even be scared to leave my earthly being.
Because of these thoughts however, I have decided I am going to waste no more time in my life. I don’t want to live as if there is always going to be a
tomorrow. I don’t want to be so concerned with my future, that I forget about what’s happening to me today.

My life is changing dramatically. Thanks to Crossroads Bible Church and those I've met at the Boiler Room, and even some adults at my actual home church, I’ve met some AWESOME people who only will make my life head in a more positive direction, and I will be taking a good look at who my true friends are.

And I’m not going to be mean, but if these friends aren’t really people who are good influences on me at all, or who support me in my complete life-style change, then I probably won’t be in contact as much.

I need people in my life who just encourage me constantly and maybe even strive for this for their own lives.

If people who were diagnosed with a terminal illness found out they only had a certain amount of time left in their life, I’m almost positive that they would not go to the bar and get as wasted as possible or make bad decisions using the excuse that they only have so much time left.

I think the most important things would be fulfilling their wildest dreams, and making sure they were surrounded by the people who loved them and cared for them the most and appreciating every single second of every day that they have left.

I no longer will be making "live every day as if it were your last" an excuse for making decisions that pull me farther away from the person that I hope to become.

From today until my last day here, I will be waking up with an appreciation for every breath that I’m given, and every step that I take, because THOSE are the important things in life that people seem to forget about.

I’m so excited for this change, and hopefully people will support me. This means that I won’t be going out anymore to places where people make fools of themselves and spend the entire time comparing themselves to other people, or trying to get attention from them. Because that’s the kind of person that I’ve become; superficial--spending my life wanting others to like me.

And not just that, but I won’t be living in a life where I’m so discontent and I won’t let other people’s negativity affect me.

I’m sick of living for other people, and only liking myself when other people like me, usually for the wrong reasons. I’m doing this for myself, and I know that when the day comes that I can say I found myself, and love myself because I have become the person God wanted me to be, I will experience more happiness than anyone could EVER give me.

If you had ONE day left....would you be ready?


"Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers, when you face trials of MANY kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith develops PERSEVERANCE."

[James 1:2-3]

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jenna,

I know we haven't been the best of friends for the past 10 years, but I must say that what you've said in this blog has impressed me and reminded me of the Jenna I knew when we were little.

It seems as if life has done a number on you and your emotions - I have walked that same road and have learned some of the greatest lessons life has to offer.

From what I've read, it seems as if you're coming into your own - you're making that necessary transition in order to get your life where you REALLY want it.

I would love for us to sit down and just talk - talk about whatever comes to mind. Talk about our lives and share the lessons we've learned. As far as I'm concerned, we will always be those two little girls running and playing and always standing by each other’s side.