I Will Remember You

 

 

 

 (image by pixelmuttz)

Remembering to stay laser focused is hard for me.

I really, really, really need a plan.

“Be still and know that I am God,” just seems so super, Welcome to Slacker Town-ish.

So I thought I’d help God out today with a step by step guide for designing the life I’ve always wanted….as if he doesn’t already know.

Duh.

But, I like to be helpful at times and started working on Michael Hyatt’s, “Creating Your Personal Life Plan,” that I downloaded months ago.

God, Michael…..Michael, God.

Thank you both for being with me today to help me get back on track.

I’m sure that God has a plan for my life. He says he does and I believe it.
Mostly.

He also says his plans are good.
If goodness is good, wouldn’t greatness be even better?

I cannot have my story end with a fiery plane crash.

And according to Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Successful People guy, when you are planning the plan….you have to start with the end in mind.

That is today’s assignment.

Write down how you want to be remembered.

Not like bathroom stall wall remembered, but, you know, remembered…at the end of it.

How do I want to be remembered when I die?
So here is what I wrote.

One day when I’m gone, I hope people gather together to happily celebrate my life and  the hallelujah, high fiving Jesus moment I will be having in heaven.

I have not been, but I hear it’s ‘for real’.

There are many qualities I would like for them to remember about me.

Things that are sweet. Things that are nice.

Mostly, I hope and pray that I have lived a life worthy of even remembering at all.

Of course, I will want them to say that I was kind. I was generous.

I will want them to say that I was compassionate and caring.

And hilarious.

I won’t want them to, but they will remember that I sucked at times.
I was selfish.
I was rude and mean. Ungrateful and ungracious.

Some will remember the time I got Silly Putty stuck in Dee’s carpet. Again, my apologies. 

I hope they will also remember that I tried my best to persevere when life wasn’t always lovely or good.

Sometimes I did that well, sometimes, not so much.

I hope they will remember I lived the happiest by embracing the little things in life, like a beautiful bird landing on the balcony, a gorgeously streaked sunset, a special song, or a grandbaby’s giggle.

I hope people will remember my life and that it is possible to rise out of ashes and brokenness, one day finally discovering something beautiful in the mess.

I hope they learned as they watched me fail, over and over again, sometimes it’s actually the mistakes that make up the marvelous-ness of it all.

I hope those who cared about me also remember, through it all, I smiled big and laughed…
….a lot.

In between the tears, there was joy.

And childlike wonder.

I hope they will say that I was authentic and real.

And I loved people. Not always the right way, just the best I knew how.

I hope they most remember the way I loved all people, from every possible walk of life, and that kind of love, was something……worthy of remembering.

And celebrating.

I Will Remember You