Mommy, how many lives do we get?


 

My kids love to steal my tablet to play games; making them well versed in Angry Birds, Santa Rider, and Grandma Run.  Now that we’re sharing one car they tend to play a few games while waiting for Dan to get off work, once their homework is done of course.  My youngest daughter is one of the most curious kids I have ever been around.  The phrase, “Mommy has no idea about that, why don’t we go home and Google it?” gets used a lot.  She’s got such a sweet easy going personality, but every once in a while she’ll say some of the most profound things and then just go back to being the same fun loving kid.  She switches in seconds and honestly one can never be sure what will come out of her mouth. 

Last week while she was playing a game, she suddenly stopped and in all seriousness asked me, “Mom how many lives do we get?”  It took me a few moments to understand what she was asking me.  I was busy trying to help my oldest with geometry (certainly not my best subject), and my mind was going several different directions. 

“What do you mean how many lives do we get?”  I tried to stop and look at her.  She repeated her question as she tapped on the tablet screen.  I knew then what she as asking me.  If you got so many chances in Angry Birds…she wanted to know if we were the same, if we had more the one life if we messed up.

“We have one life.  Of course there are miracles where some get raised from the dead, like Jesus, and I’ve heard of that happening to other people.  But really we have one life.”  When my daughter asks these kinds of questions I try very hard to take the opportunity to talk to her.  This case was no different.  I explained to her that we only had one chance at life and we needed to make the best of it.  She thought for a moment, and as if spending the moment of her ounce of seriousness, went back to giggling and telling jokes. 

I however couldn’t shake her question.  Too many people live their lives as if they are characters on some video game.  They think that they have all the lives in the world, and they have all the time in the world.  We all lose sight that life is a gift and while God sometimes grants us second chances we really have on chance on this earth. 

Dan said something to me last night very profound.  He said, “I think if we all really understood and had a glance at our eternity we’d realize how short our lives really are… how much more we wouldn’t allow the small frustrations in life really get to us.”

James 4:14 (ESV)


14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

            Life is short.  Enjoy your life.  Love those around you lots, and make a difference on the earth for the Kingdom of God.  We all only have one life to live.  Let’s make it count.  Guard yourself from letting the small irritations in life to frustrate you or derail your goals.  We’ll all have to face the Lord and give an account for our lives.  Let’s make our gift of life count.

            God has awesome plans for your life.  Get excited!

 

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