Firsts and Lasts

Those of you who are on my email distribution (hopefully) read this excerpt, but I'd like to post it here for others to read, so please indulge me...

(This is an excerpt from my last e-newsletter)...

When I first arrived and I entered the Ghanaian airport - I was greeted by a beautiful painting on the outside of the airport entrance with the word Adkaawba (Welcome) to Ghana... I immediately breathed a prayer that I would capture every opportunity, savour every experience, and glean as much as possible from my time there; after all, for all I knew, it could be my last time in Ghana and my last time onboard the Anastasis (as she will be retired once the Africa Mercy gets to Africa).

Within my first few days there, I was laying in bed reading before heading to sleep (which is something I do almost every night!!) and I was in the middle of a fictional novel. In this novel was a grandma talking to her husband - the grandpa. They were having a family get-together (similar to one of my family gatherings at home) when the grandma made a very poignant observation (and something that has affected me ever since).

She told the grandpa (as she gazed around and watched her children, and their children - her grandchildren)... and said... 'I find it interesting that mothers often 'take note' of firsts for their children - first word, first steps, first tooth, first day at school, etc... Now that I see my children grown-up, I wish I had 'taken note' of lasts... the last time 'Joey' brought me wild flowers from outside; last time 'Susie' ran up and jumped into my arms with a spontaneous I Love You... but the thing is ... you never know they are 'lasts' until you find yourself asking the question ... 'when was the last time that Joey or Susie did...' and by then, you've realized that the years have passed by and that moment is gone forever!'

Wow...how many 'lasts' did I miss because I didn't realize it was the last time I would... you would... (fill in the blank!)

With that thought in the back of my mind, I spent the majority of my time in Africa as if it were my last. It's amazing the emotions, feelings, insights one can have when living with that mindset. I sat in the ward during a Sunday morning church service next to a beautiful young girl named Beatrice who had just had a cleft lip surgery. She must have been around 16. WHAT a beautiful smile...and listening to her sing and dance (as that is quite traditional in African churches :-) ... I thought... here is a young woman who has lived her life disfigured. Now she has been transfigured, and this will be the LAST time she will have to bow her head in shame. WOW! What an amazing last!!! What an amazing first!!

I spent a day at an orphanage watching them cook all day in preparation for their one meal of the day, and paused to thank God that at the age of nine, He saw fit to move me into a wonderful, Christian family who loved God and loved me; I didn't have to worry about being orphaned. The age old question popped into my head ... why me, God? I am humbled to be chosen... There are a lot of questions we have in life that for which we will never have answers, but for me, I do know this... in Jeremiah 29:11, God says... For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm. Plans to give you a future and a hope". The people we serve in West Africa...yes, many of them are wanting 'help' but like you and I, they ALL want HOPE. THAT is one thing where I can help them. I will help point them to the ONE who gives me HOPE daily."

So many of our firsts are often our lasts and we don't realize it! Here's my challenge to you as you head into 2007... savour the moment! Be conscientious of firsts and lasts. Don't be afraid to REALLY CHOOSE LIFE. God calls us to life, and life more abundantly...live each day as if it were your first AND last. Sound 'cliche-ish'? It may be but it could change the way you decide to live today