life

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Purpose.

Ever wonder what your purpose here on earth might be?

Plans.

We make lots of them, don't we?

I'll go ahead and tell you that this post is definitely not going to be as I had it mapped out in my head earlier this morning.

You see, earlier this morning my post was going to be all rainbows and unicorns.

But now, now....I don't even know how to put it into words. I witnessed some life-changing events this afternoon. Mind you, I've been up close and personal with death a few more times than I care to remember........but still, even still that feeling becomes as fresh and new and frightening and heart pumping as the first time it was ever experienced.

Two (cousins, friends, sisters...I don't even know how to address them right now?) and I ran the 1st Palmetto Bluff Half Marathon today. At the start of my run I was thinking about all the important people in my life and all of the loving and caring people that surround me and carry me through every day. So many people came to mind and I had a trait for each that I was going to share........I was also going to share some insightful feelings about running...about the adrenaline rush you get when crossing the finish line - whether you're first or last.....or even about just taking care of yourself and taking time for yourself in general......

BUT.....

but all of the rainbows and unicorns were chased away as we were getting ready to leave the race.

A man collapsed. I mean he wasn't breathing. I mean I've seen this with Zeta a million times but that doesn't change anything. I watched my grandaddy (Pop) do the same thing. It is certainly a very helpless, humbling feeling. The feeling doesn't change. Circumstances might change. The face may change, but the feeling doesn't. That helpless, powerless feeling. The moment you realize how quickly life can change. The moment when you know that YOUR plans are not the determing factor in anything...that YOUR purpose depends on where you are at the moment and how you react and what God chooses for you to do......Today, although this sweet man's plan was what I would never wish upon anyone - there was also a plan that had been mapped for a lot of the other people there too. God's timing and God's plan is never flawed. There is no explanation for how quickly help was able to be administered to this man even though the ambulance was 15 minutes away- it was all in how God had placed things. I pray for this man, for his family - his wife, his children, his friends. I pray for everyone who played a part in working to give this man a fighting chance. I pray for those who were there to witness the series of events. I pray hearts were humbled and touched. I pray that God's plan was done as he imagined.

Please, take time today to evaluate your life and those in it. Life is fragile. It can change in the blink of an eye. We are given this breath, but not promised the next. Is your life what you think it should be? Are you sure of where you will spend ETERNAL life? If the answer to either of those questions is anything other than yes then stop what you're doing and pray......even if you don't believe in God......if you're reading my blog there's at least a vague interest...it's ok to pray to a God you don't believe in....pray to have a heart that is open......a heart that is softened. I'll even pray with you. Friends, I've seen enough 'close calls' to leave my heart wide open, but yet and still witnessing what I did today was yet another wake-up call to the fragility of life. Don't spend another minute guessing!

Please continue to pray for this man and his family. I have no idea of the outcome, but I am surely going to try to find out who he is and where he is.......I hope that he is ok. I pray that God's will is or has been done.

......and tomorrow, I'll get back to what my plans were to blog about originally.....for now go hug someone you love!!