“Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God chooses.” – Ecclesiastes 3:1 GNT

“Look at everything always as though you’re seeing it for the first or last time, thus is your time on earth filled with glory.” – Betty Smith

Think if we had some kind of special intuition – some kind of unique sixth sense that told us when we were experiencing something for the last time.  When you think about it, so many wonderful things in life we encounter oblivious of the fact it will be our last.

“The thing about leaving something behind for the last time is that you rarely realize you are doing it.” – Wendy Mass

When I lived in Utah, I remember one of the times I visited Wisconsin during the Christmas holiday. My daughter Amber was holding on to her baby son Ben at the time who is now ten years old!  She swayed him back and forth in a playful way – kissing his neck as he giggled contagiously.  I could see in both his eyes and hers, that both of their hearts were overflowing with joy – a priceless moment in time.

It reminded me of when I used to hold her at that age.  I remember she used to wrap her tiny arm around the back of my neck and twirl my hair in her tiny fingers 🙂

You know….she was my youngest….and I would have given anything if I would have had the insight at the time to realize it was the last time I would ever hold her like that. 

When you think about it, there is always a last time with everything in life.  Sadly, that time went and passed unnoticed.  No alarms sounded or flashing lights illuminated letting me know, “Scott, you will never hold Amber like this again.  This is the last time.”  If that special, unique sixth sense would have kicked in that day, I don’t think I would have put her down so quickly.  She would have been held a little tighter, hugged more deeply, and the moment would have been etched in my memory forever.

So many things like this escape us my friends – even something that seems so much a regular part of our lives like picking up our children and holding them.

I don’t want this to sound sad or morbid, in fact; I want you to think hard about this “last time” mentality – so much so that “your time on earth is filled with glory” as Betty Smith writes in the quote I shared above.

Think if we could experience EVERYTHING moving forward as if it were our last time?

We would hold each other closer, kiss more passionately and tenderly, and frequently without reservation express the love we feel in our hearts toward those close to us.

Our “good byes” would last longer, we would be more vulnerable, revealing what’s truly on our hearts, and we would laugh with a vigor like we never have before.

We would quickly forgive without a second thought.  We would stand on the cliff of a mountain side – gazing at the view as if we needed to etch it into our minds.  We would savor every aroma, taste, and touch as if it were our last.  Even something as taken for granted as walking across the floor would be embraced with such grace and gratitude.

Can you do this today and every day my friend?  Can we experience every aspect of life as if it were the last time?  Think of the joy, the deeper meaning, and the peace that would come by living in such a way!  There would be no more regrets, no more missed opportunities, and no more precious moments that pass us by unnoticed.

My prayer for you today (and please say a prayer for me as well) is that we embrace this “last time” mentality in all we do and all we encounter moving forward – living a glorious, enriched life!

God bless you today and always!