by Rich DuBose
As we journey through life, we evolve from who we were into who we are. More often than not, it happens without intentionality. Our bodies change, we gradually accumulate pounds and alter our routines. As we age, changes occur within us, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Some of us move to different parts of the country or world—with exposure to new jobs and neighbors. And before we know it, our lives have morphed into situations and circumstances we never dreamed of finding ourselves in (both good or bad).
Change points occur when we suddenly wake up to a new reality. I recently woke up to a new chapter when I got up to take a shower on Sunday, March 1, and noticed some numbness in two of my left finger tips. By the time I was half way through the shower, the numbness had crept up into my hand, arm, and into the left side of my face.
As quickly as I could, I finished showering, got dressed, and woke Linda up with the news that I needed to go to ER.
What I had thought would be a normal day turned into an ordeal that kept me in the hospital for about 36 hours. I went from being a relatively healthy guy, to being a stroke patient—all in the course of a few minutes.
My diagnosis was that I had had a (TIA). According Mayo Clinic, “A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a short period of symptoms similar to those of a stroke. It's caused by a brief blockage of blood flow to the brain. A TIA usually lasts only a few minutes and doesn't cause long-term damage.”
A TIA can be a precursor or warning that a more serious stroke may follow, so it needs to be taken seriously. My doctor had been monitoring my blood pressure, which had been slowly creeping up for a number of months. But she had not determined it was high enough yet to put me on medication. After the TIA, I wished she had been more aggressive.
A New Chapter
So that changed my life. After many scans, tests, and doctor visits, I realized life had brought me to a new place.
Could it have been avoided. Possibly, but maybe not. As a result of that experience my left hand and arm still manifest a medium amount of numbness, which my occupational therapist says will eventually go away. In the meantime I find it a challenge to play guitar and make the chord changes. My strength and motor skills are fine, but it feels like pins and needles when I press down on the strings.
Life’s change points shouldn’t surprise us, because everything about our existence—our circumstances, bodies, and this world we call home constantly change. In 1 John 2:17 we're told, the world is “fading away, along with everything that people crave.“ Our very lives are fleeting; ephemeral—like a vapor.
That’s kind of scary, because we long for stability. We do things to try and “nail down” life's uncertainties; to prolong our well-being—to keep our lives from morphing into “train wrecks.” We plan for the future, save money, and exercise to ward off disease. In the end we all die, which makes it feel sort of useless. But isn't life about trying to make a good thing last for as long as it can.
Far from being an exercise in futility, Life 1.0 is a preparation for Life 2.0, which has the potential of being unending. And the lessons we learn now can contribute to our well-being in the next iteration of life that God promises to those who embrace his ideals.
Death doesn't have to be the end. It may feel like it, especially when we lose a family member or friend. But the story isn’t over yet. The universal story-teller is weaving all the parts together into a drama that can one day make sense and bring us to a perfect ending.
How Should We Live?
In light of life’s unpredictable nature, we are called to live with purpose and intentionality—which can lead to spiritual balance and health. Our mission is to spread life’s goodness to as many as we can, and as far as we can. The goodness of God brings goodness to us so we can spread it around.
Living with intentionality means we don’t have to wait for life-altering tragedies to occur before we become aware of habits or circumstances that need to change. We become proactive collaborators with God to order our lives after his. Nurturing a close connection with God can open us up to what he wants us to know.
Author and writer, Roy at Bennett wrote a piece titled, “Don’t Just” that inspires intentionality.
Don't just learn, experience.
Don't just read, absorb.
Don't just change, transform.
Don't just relate, advocate.
Don't just promise, prove.
Don't just criticize, encourage.
Don't just think, ponder.
Don't just take, give.
Don't just see, feel.
Don’t just dream, do.
Don't just hear, listen.
Don't just talk, act.
Don't just tell, show.
Don't just exist, live.” (1)
I don't know where this chapter goes. But I'm learning that the destination and the journey have more in common than I originally thought. The more I relish the Life-giver and travel with him, the less overwhelming, intimidating, and cruel the journey seems. Traveling with Jesus is like continually arriving at my final destination—every day.
“This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in his Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life” (1 John 5:11-12, MSG).
Rih DuBose writes from Northern California |Photo by Rich DuBose
(1) Roy T. Bennett, born in 1963, is the author of “The Light in the Heart.” He enjoys sharing positive thoughts and creative insights that have helped countless people lead successful and fulfilling lives"
NLT: Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
MSG: Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries.