One Minute with Marlin

POP'S FAVORITE HYMN was Trust and Obey. Every once in a while our church sings it, and I think of all sorts of memories with him in church. The last time we enjoyed the song at our church, it pulled me into a quiet and very sweet moment of reflection. I yearned for my dad to be with us and to enjoy our 10-year-old son Bennett and his pure sweetness.

In the middle of that moment, I looked over at Bennie and noticed a crayon hanging from his nose! The ladies behind us were cracking up and, in that moment, the combination of outrageous joy mingled with tinges of sadness that Pop wasn’t with us was almost more than I could stand. I drank it in!

John 10:10 talks about Jesus having come to bring us life, not a boring mundane everyday life, but a life packed to the gills. I submit the question: What kind of a life do you want? Eternity is a long time! Scientists toss around millions and billions of years as if it’s nothing. It's not nothing! Those numbers are huge— insanely huge. I had the thought the other day, “Will I remember what I am doing right this very minute in a thousand years?” Then it went to a million years, and then a hundred billion! Do you realize we will not be any closer to the end of eternity than we are right now? What are we doing with our crazy short time on this earth?

Some of the most profoundly meaningful moments in my life have happened while crying with a friend as we share our pains and regrets and talk about things we cannot change this side of Heaven. Jesus does not promise a healthy and wealthy life, but He does promise to meet us in the broken places, in the shadows of our pain. That brings joy and peace. Period. Let’s live this life to the fullest. I dare you to dangle a crayon from your nose and surprise those closest to you … or a total stranger!

As always, may you find joy in the simple things. //

MARLIN MILLER publisher, always looking for more friends