“The Dash”
Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what matter most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash.
What matters most is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when you’re eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
Usually around late August and early September, comics that feature kids will almost always show them standing before the class reading their first homework assignment for the school term: an essay entitled, “How I spent my summer vacation”. Then the stories that usually follow include going to the mountains, to the beach, to grandma’s house, or to the amusement park. And oddly enough, I cannot recall too many instances in which the kids reported on their summer vacations with much enthusiasm. Maybe it was that the value of the summer vacation had been diminished by being reduced to a homework assignment.
I can remember such assignments from when I was in elementary school but, sadly, we never did much in the way of summer vacations when I was growing up. I can recall one trip to Six Flags over Texas and another to Branson MO but there were never any “family vacations” because my father was always working away from home and never took any time off from work, so our vacations were spent wherever he was. I cannot say that I feel deprived, but I also cannot say that much was accomplished. Unfortunately for my family now, that lack of vacationing is being passed on. We just never seem to get around to actually taking a “family vacation”. I just honestly don’t give it a lot of thought.
Now consider the life of actress Angelina Jolie (there is a point; I promise!). I read a recent interview with her in Parade magazine in which she spoke of her understanding of community service from what she learned as a child from her mother. Even though Ms. Jolie has walked on the wild side in her lifetime and lives a life many would disapprove of, I cannot help but to admire her sense of community responsibility in her work as a good will ambassador for the United Nations and for opening her home to adopted children even as she is able to bear children herself. She says she was taught from childhood that giving of herself in such a way is not just a chance to feel good about herself or get her name in the paper. Rather, it was imparted to her from her mother as her duty and responsibility as a member of the human race. Very Christ-like even as I do not know whether she even practices a particular religion.
It is unfortunate that we pay close attention when we are reminded that domestic violence is a learned behavior passed from one generation to the next, but we fail to make such a generational connection when it comes to positive, uplifting behavior that is also passed on from generation to generation. We fail to fully recognize that our children will never come to understand their place in society, their duties as Christians and the opportunities that come as a result, unless they are shown the way. Raising our children in church is a good start, but their Christian education must be broadened beyond the doors of the Church or the Sunday school classroom.
As I get older I often wonder how the “dash” in my own life will be defined. What sort of legacy am I leaving? What can be said about me at my eulogy beyond, “He was a loud preacher who did not need a microphone”? But far more important than how I lived my life will be how I will have taught my children and the children of the churches I serve how to define their own “dash” - because the impact of my time and yours on this earth will be measured for generations, well beyond the moment when the lids to our coffins are closed.
“Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” Jesus rebuked them, “You don’t know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Luke 9:54b-56a
Following Jesus in the footsteps of righteousness means the edification – building up – of the lives of others, not attempting to tear them down. Lord knows even Christians cannot agree on much of anything, never mind the non-believers! But here’s the thing: no one is going to recognize Jesus unless they are shown His true portrait; one of service to others and not self-serving. The epitome of self-sacrifice is evidenced on the Cross – that same Cross I will remind you that Jesus DID NOT WANT (“Father, let this cup pass from Me…”)
The question of our dash at the time of our passing must include that moment of surrender to the Lord, most certainly, but beyond the grave it is told to us by Paul that simply claiming the name of Christ will not be enough if we did not live according to the Spirit that was granted to us. And notice that Paul’s list of that of building up vs. tearing down (Galatians 5:13-25).
Let our dash be one of life-building acknowledgements and service to others in the name of the Lord’s Covenant. Let our dash be that of a true witness who teaches children about the positive path of service and enlightenment, and let the path of our dash be lighted by the Word … the Word made flesh.
Linda Ellis
I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke the following date with tears,
But he said what matter most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own;
The cars, the house, the cash.
What matters most is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about this long and hard.
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.
If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when you’re eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?
Usually around late August and early September, comics that feature kids will almost always show them standing before the class reading their first homework assignment for the school term: an essay entitled, “How I spent my summer vacation”. Then the stories that usually follow include going to the mountains, to the beach, to grandma’s house, or to the amusement park. And oddly enough, I cannot recall too many instances in which the kids reported on their summer vacations with much enthusiasm. Maybe it was that the value of the summer vacation had been diminished by being reduced to a homework assignment.
I can remember such assignments from when I was in elementary school but, sadly, we never did much in the way of summer vacations when I was growing up. I can recall one trip to Six Flags over Texas and another to Branson MO but there were never any “family vacations” because my father was always working away from home and never took any time off from work, so our vacations were spent wherever he was. I cannot say that I feel deprived, but I also cannot say that much was accomplished. Unfortunately for my family now, that lack of vacationing is being passed on. We just never seem to get around to actually taking a “family vacation”. I just honestly don’t give it a lot of thought.
Now consider the life of actress Angelina Jolie (there is a point; I promise!). I read a recent interview with her in Parade magazine in which she spoke of her understanding of community service from what she learned as a child from her mother. Even though Ms. Jolie has walked on the wild side in her lifetime and lives a life many would disapprove of, I cannot help but to admire her sense of community responsibility in her work as a good will ambassador for the United Nations and for opening her home to adopted children even as she is able to bear children herself. She says she was taught from childhood that giving of herself in such a way is not just a chance to feel good about herself or get her name in the paper. Rather, it was imparted to her from her mother as her duty and responsibility as a member of the human race. Very Christ-like even as I do not know whether she even practices a particular religion.
It is unfortunate that we pay close attention when we are reminded that domestic violence is a learned behavior passed from one generation to the next, but we fail to make such a generational connection when it comes to positive, uplifting behavior that is also passed on from generation to generation. We fail to fully recognize that our children will never come to understand their place in society, their duties as Christians and the opportunities that come as a result, unless they are shown the way. Raising our children in church is a good start, but their Christian education must be broadened beyond the doors of the Church or the Sunday school classroom.
As I get older I often wonder how the “dash” in my own life will be defined. What sort of legacy am I leaving? What can be said about me at my eulogy beyond, “He was a loud preacher who did not need a microphone”? But far more important than how I lived my life will be how I will have taught my children and the children of the churches I serve how to define their own “dash” - because the impact of my time and yours on this earth will be measured for generations, well beyond the moment when the lids to our coffins are closed.
“Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?” Jesus rebuked them, “You don’t know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.”
Luke 9:54b-56a
Following Jesus in the footsteps of righteousness means the edification – building up – of the lives of others, not attempting to tear them down. Lord knows even Christians cannot agree on much of anything, never mind the non-believers! But here’s the thing: no one is going to recognize Jesus unless they are shown His true portrait; one of service to others and not self-serving. The epitome of self-sacrifice is evidenced on the Cross – that same Cross I will remind you that Jesus DID NOT WANT (“Father, let this cup pass from Me…”)
The question of our dash at the time of our passing must include that moment of surrender to the Lord, most certainly, but beyond the grave it is told to us by Paul that simply claiming the name of Christ will not be enough if we did not live according to the Spirit that was granted to us. And notice that Paul’s list of that of building up vs. tearing down (Galatians 5:13-25).
Let our dash be one of life-building acknowledgements and service to others in the name of the Lord’s Covenant. Let our dash be that of a true witness who teaches children about the positive path of service and enlightenment, and let the path of our dash be lighted by the Word … the Word made flesh.
No comments:
Post a Comment