Taste Every Moment and Live it Out Loud

My grandfather turned 89 years old on Sunday. He's pictured here with my mom and grandmother (just a little younger...they've been married for 68 years!!) taken at Thanksgiving last year.

When I talked to him on his birthday he said he was sure he'd make it to a hundred. Knowing him as I do, I'm certain he's right. When he handed me over to my grandmother to chat for a bit, he was on his way to a finance committee meeting at church. I LOVE that my 89-year-old grandfather is on the church finance committee. How great is that?

I've been thinking a lot about that Five for Fighting song, 100 years (lyrics w/out the choruses below):

I'm 15... for a moment
Caught in between 10 and 20
And I'm just dreamin'
Countin' the ways to where you are

I'm 22... for a moment
And she feels better than ever
And we're on fire
Making our way back from Mars

I'm 33... for a moment
Still the man,
But you see I'm a they
A kid on the way, babe
A family on my mind

I'm 45... for a moment
The sea is high
And I'm heading into a crisis
Chasing the years of my life

I'm 99... for a moment
Dying for just another moment
And I'm just dreamin'
Countin' the ways to where you are

I wonder how many of us stop at various points in our lives and think about where we are. We might think about where we're going, but typically we're not content with where we are. I think most of us live in the moment not really thinking about it at the time...looking back to observe where we've been...and what/who has impacted our life. As the lyrics say, we're really only here for a moment...and let's face it, a moment's not very long at all.

As David Cook sings, "And I'll taste every moment and live it out loud...I know this is the time, this is the time of my life..." Good words I think. And not a bad song either.

Without getting too melancholy, let me close this entry by expressing my sorrow for a friend who lost her son last weekend. As my grandfather took one step closer to 90, this 21-year-old kid lost his life on a 2-lane highway just south of San Jose. I can't pretend to understand why this happened, but believe that God is in everything and that He will use this tragedy to bring glory to himself.

I think the divergence of these two events is a good reminder to taste every moment...and live it out loud...