Living for the line Christmas Eve 2008

I have had an opportunity the last few days to engage in a great conversation about the meaning of Christmas. I have thought of the events and activities of the year and it occurs to me that there have been a lot of events and activities in 2008 that seemed like significant life changing events at the time. And in fact those events did have some impact but certainly not to the degree that in light of eternity I should be overly concerned. So it is Christmas eve and if I look at 2008 from Gods perspective then 2008 was a really really great year and there is plenty too celebrating tomorrow on Christmas day. We have endeared ourselves to our neighbors to such a degree that they have all decided that we cant move. I left a job 4 months ago and I still get gifts and thanks from folks on the “old team” for the part I played. I still find that my best times are those few moments when my wife is smiling and the kids are content. I have a friend who has a wonderful way of putting Gods perspective into plain view. He talked often about the dots in life and living for the line. The dots are those events like graduation, marriage, child birth, loss of a loved one, etc. The line, thats what happens after we die. Often called eternity. And I am reminded again that if we look at life from the dots it can be hard, miserable, trying and yes good. If we look at life from the line we are encouraged within ourselves to make choices that have eternal consequences. In light of eternity does the fact that my roof is still leaking mean all that much, no probably not. In light of eternity does it mean anything that our neighbors said we “can not leave” I suspect there is some connection. So we are here living for the line, working through the dots, but absolutely convinced that Gods got bigger things planned all we have to do is stay out of his way and be willing to be clay in his hands. God thank you for the gift of Christ. I have taken several moments today to reflect on the sacrifices our service members make for us, we are blessed. I am remembering some of the friends of old and new who have run into the "dots" of this life, we are blessed. This is a great time of year to look at the dots in your life. Reach out to those you love, those you set aside because of a "hard dot" and remember eternity is a long time. Mend a bridge. Thank you god for Jesus.