" one day you will wake up and find there won't be anymore time to do the things you always wanted to do...do it now".
Paulo Coelho
I watched the shadows of 80 plus years pass over her well worn face as Mary spoke of dreams left unfulfilled. Her voice was shaky and trembling hands caressed her prize possessions as she told of her dream to own a shop to display all her antiques and music artifacts. Would there have ever been a price tag that would actually give her reason to relinquish even one of the treasures she held dear to her heart? The world will probably never know, as the dreaded disease of the elderly slowly takes over, but in that moment in time as Mary's eyes revealed the depths of her soul and she uttered the words, "it's a little late in life to think about that now", time stopped and my mind raced......
I know I am not promised anything beyond this very moment, yet I am always looking ahead, dreaming that next dream and touching that next life. As my thoughts raced to the journey I had just begun, I couldn't image not fulfilling the dream of running my own business; a business that could touch and change so many lives.
I truly believe each of us is born with a purpose in life. Max Lucado tells us in his book, "The Cure For the Common Life", we are born pre-packed. When God formed us, He looked at our entire life, determined our assignment and gave us the tools to fulfill that purpose. It is our job to unpack our tool bag and use the tools (skills) specifically assigned to us. Many times we go through life trying to use the tools from someone else's bag and we find ourselves discouraged, hopeless and unfulfilled. We race through each day complaining, frustrated, and stressed out trying to meet their expectations, never finding that "sweet spot" God intended for us. In finding our sweet spot.....our uniqueness that comes when our successes and our passions intersect.....we find joy and contentment in what we do and without a doubt, it has nothing to do with money or self recognition. God packed us with special tools so we can make him known (1 Peter 4:10-11) and to serve others (1 Cor. 12:7).
I think about the lives I have touched and those who have touched mine in the past and know it has prepared me to relate and give to many more in the future with what God packed in my tool bag; encouragement, confidence building and now, the opportunity for financial change.
We drove away that afternoon as Mary stood in front of her home where she felt secure and at peace with her surroundings, waving goodbye. I have only known her in her later years, but at that moment I knew there stood a woman who had lived her life looking back, holding on to the past and dreaming dreams she would never realize and my heart cried for her loss.
(Psalm 33:13, 15) The Lord looks from Heaven; He sees all the sons of men......he fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works.
