Such is Life.

Such is life. This is phrase that I have come to know and love over the past year. It can be used to describe just about anything. It reminds me how unpredictable life is and how I have no control over it. Such is life, such is my life. This past week I have had the smallest glimpse of how thankful I am for my life. Yesterday, as I was running through a cemetary here in Waco, it struck me. As I passed tombstone by tombstone in the beautiful graveyard, I began to realize how often I take my life for granted. I also began to reflect on life and the brevity of it. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.” ~ James 4:14 There were thousands of tombstones and I just thought to myself, that could just as well be me. I know this sounds a bit depressing, but it was a wake up call for sure. We can't just walk around every day thinking we are immortal. Honestly, it made me want to become more proactive and intentional. I should be living each day to the fullest, glorifying God with what I do, and doing things that bring me joy. It seems so simple, yet it is so hard. Why is that? I tend to fill my time with things that don't matter, menial tasks that I feel I must do, but that bring me no eternal satisfaction or joy. Also, as much as I don't want to admit it, I'm lazy. I don't plan intentional lunch dates or coffee runs with people as often as I should. I'm so selfish with my time. I once heard this saying that the only things that will be left in the end of this world are God and the souls of men. So why am I walking around so selfishly day by day? I need to love everyone around me with the love of Christ. Everyone has a story and sometimes it just takes that extra word or two to show you care and want to hear about what's going on in their life. Instead of just merely passing people and saying the typical, "Hi, how are you?" (not really caring how they respond) and focusing all my attention on my best friends who surround me, I want to reach out to others. It may be odd and uncomfortable at first, but as my Dad always says "everybody needs friends." Who knows, you may be the only positive person they run into that day? I am learning more and more to become completely content in God and Him alone and it is taking time. But while I'm at it, I have adopted this new phrase: "simple bliss." This is the feeling I have now in life and it is the most liberating place to be. It is my new phrase and new attitude. Bliss can be a state of profound satisfaction, happiness and joy, a constant state of mind, undisturbed by gain or loss. So with that I know that I may have many such is life moments where the unexpected jumps out at me, but in all these times I have a simply blissful attitude. Simple bliss. Such is life.