14,000 and counting….Or, Lessons Learned from a Life Well Travelled

I have been thinking a lot lately…I know…you're thinking, uh-oh…!  But this has been introspective.  We are at year 11 (11.21.02) since my daddy finished his time here in his temporary home.  That's about 4,000 days (minus a couple of weeks…math geek, you know!).  Over those days, I've had many times when I wished I had another day with him, or missed his sense of humor, or longed for his advice and experience.  I've had many more times when I look at what I got from him in about 10,000 days before.  Here are just a few of the lessons his life taught:

1.  You can't please all of the people all of the time, but you can definitely tick off all of the people at some point or another.  :)  Ok…that's a bit of Cranor humor.  But it's also a really important lesson.  I have always been one to not want to hurt some one's feelings or annoy them or get on their bad side.  Being a teacher, that's not always easy.  As I've grown up, I've realized that you can't always avoid that.  Some people are never happy.  Others are extra sensitive.  Sometimes, it's just that we have different opinions or philosophies.  Whatever the case may be, at some point or another, I am bound to upset, annoy or just plain aggravate someone.  The key is how to respond to that in grace and love.  Hopefully, I don't hurt feelings as much, but if you don't agree with me, that's ok.  You don't have to…

2.  God uses imperfect people for His perfect plan.  My dad was always critical of himself, as we all can be and I tend to be.  He was the first to admit that he had learned from many mistakes in his life.  And that he had a long way to go towards perfection.  But through his life, I realized that it was ok.  God is big enough, powerful enough, and wise enough to take someone, anyone, with all of their imperfections, and use them to do a great work for Himself and to the benefit of others.  Even now, I see remnants of what my daddy left behind, of the work he did for God's kingdom and the lives he touched.  All that is required is a heart that desires to be used by Him.  And a heart that has a vision to leave this world in a better state than it was when it came.  Which takes me to number 3…

3.  Dream big. I will admit.  I am a dreamer. An idealist.  That can often feel like a smack in the face when you wake up to face the "real world" on Tuesday morning.  (Yes, Tuesday…on Monday, I'm not with it enough to know better…!) Society is often not too keen on dreaming big.  They see life as a series of steps to make money, move up, have the right things. But sometimes that's not enough.  That's where the dream comes in.  Sometimes, the dream is what keeps you alive.  Sometimes, against all odds, that dream is what moves you forward when you should be down and out.  And whether or not that dream actually comes to fruition isn't what's important.  It's that you didn't settle with the "as is" and you looked ahead to the "what if."  I am still working on this lesson especially.  My "what iffer" has been working overtime to see what could be…

4.  Face your fears.  This is one I am still having to work at.  Sometimes, we don't realize our fears until the are staring us right in the face.  I learned from his example, though, that running away from them doesn't help anyone or anything.  Hard as it may be, you have to stare them right back in the face.  Maybe they won't go away immediately.  Or maybe not at all, but not flinching at them is a victory.

5.  Be True to Who You Are.  One of the biggest lessons I learned from him was that God knew who He created me to be.  My personality, interests, abilities, humor and even my weaknesses were no surprise.  And yet, He has a plan to use me in His big plan.  He didn't make a mistake.  He knew what I would face in my life experiences.  Many of the traits He equipped me with would be exactly the things needed to pull through, learn lessons, build bridges and even touch people.  Trying to be something I'm not makes it look as though I believed God "made a mistake."  And we both know better than that!  Warts and all, the Father knows best…!

6.  Life is hard. God is good.  Daddy did not have an ideal life growing up.  Life was not always kind.  Times were often very difficult.  Even when I was growing up, things did not always come easily.  But as I watched and learned, I saw that anything worth having is worth fighting for.  Even when times are difficult, people are hurtful, health is waining, life is hard…one thing still remains.  God is good.  In the midst of all of those times, God sustains us and even uses those instances to make us more like Himself; to reveal another facet of Himself to us.  And because of that…

7.  Never Quit Fighting.  Despite what seems to be staring you in the face, in spite of what your past may hold over you, regardless of your situation at the time, even when you can't see in front of you…don't quit.  While the fighting is fatiguing and you feel so weary, it is the fight that actually moves you on to what God has in store.  It's the silent strength that pushes you on to the point you thought was unreachable.  Just like Indiana Jones, it's having the faith to step off the cliff, even though you don't see the bridge.  In faith, move forward. "Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:13b-14)

And as a result, one day may I, too, say… "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)