Intentional Living
January 19, 2019 — Laura House
My sister came to visit recently and brought me an ornately carved wooden box. Explaining that she had one at home also, she shared about what she had heard on a radio program and proposed that we give it a try.
Apparently, the average life span for a woman in the United States is 79.3 years. If you deduct your current age, you’ll see how many years you may potentially have left to live. Now of course, you or I could die tomorrow— that is a reality we know all too well. Or you could also live much longer than the average, like Gary’s Grandma Dee who lived to 104!
Leah and I decided that counting the number of days that we might have left would be too laborious, so we opted to count the weeks. Mine was 1604 and hers, 1704. Using a heart-shaped punch and paper in three different shades of red, we cut-out the appropriate number for each of us. Inadvertently, some fell to the floor while we were counting, so our boxes might not be 100% accurate, but we decided that they were close enough to serve their purpose. After positioning a cardboard divider in the box, we placed all of the hearts on the left side.
Each week, we move one heart from the left side of the box to the right side of the box representing the week that just passed. The whole idea is to cause us to think about whether or not the past seven days were filled with intentional living. Adding a little twist to the idea, I decided to write notes on my hearts as I move them, printing the date and recording something that I’m thankful for or that was of eternal value.
On one hand, it’s a bit sobering to observe the right side of my box filling up week- by- week, signifying the brevity of earthly life. But on the other hand, it’s a beautiful reminder that before too long, I’ll be reunited with Nathan, Mom and others I love, and be in the presence of Jesus. These little paper hearts are turning out to be the perfect prompt for me to be aware of my need to live each day intentionally, to focus on what is important, and to strive to live my life in a way that pleases the Lord.
If you are at the beginning of grief, this kind of thinking may not seem possible. I remember wondering if I’d ever care about anything ever again. My heart was broken beyond repair — or so I thought.
Someday you’ll be able to think again about intentional living, and this time, it will be with an insight that only those who’ve experienced loss can see. Those insights will mold and shape you into a new person— the person you are meant to be.
“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12
