I have a confession to make.  I like to read about people in their last moments on this earth speak of their regrets. I like to read and learn from them.  It is in the final moments of their lives, be it a day or year, when all of the pretenses and masks are gone and there is nothing left but to be honest and forthright.  The statements give a great deal of insight into how each of us really are and when we no longer have anything to lose and no one to impress.  It is then the truth eventually wins out.

I never wanted to live my life with any regrets, for I know how quickly life is taken and how quickly life can change.  Life doesn’t care if you are young or old when it happens.  It knows no age, nor gender, nor status.  Life is life.

I don’t regret having taught my family the Gospel.

I don’t regret having been a stay at home mom.  At the time, I was looked down on for not going and finding myself, making money to buy more stuff, but instead I chose to make sure my sons were taught the Truth and set their feet on the paths of righteousness.  No matter what they tell you.  You can only have so many hours to get the job of rearing children done and when you break it down in to a time frame it is a very short time.  I remember well going to an open house at school and when asked what I did for a living. I ducked my head and said I was just a housewife and mother.  The teacher looked at me and told me it was one of the most important jobs around and never be embarrassed by that.  I never forgot.

I don’t regret telling my husband I loved him and told him to call me when he returned.  But he didn’t return that day.

I don’t regret my telling others I love them and mean it.  If there is one thing this old world needs is love of souls and tell them you love them and appreciate them while you can.

I don’t regret having given as much as I could to support the Truth, or work in His kingdom whether teaching or preparing food for the sick and hurting.

I don’t regret any article I have written.  And though I will never know this side of heaven if any article helped someone, if one article caused a heart to see the Truth of God’s Word, it is all worth it.

I don’t regret studying God’s Word each day, listening to sermons and reading articles.  They better prepare me to teach.

I don’t regret kneeling in prayer when my heart is burdened.

In the final analysis, I believe it best from the day we know the Truth to begin preparing for our own deaths and we do that hour by hour, day by day, year by year.  I understand this temporal life and the sudden losses we didn’t expect.  And at least, speaking strictly for myself, the sooner we learn how to let go of this world, the sooner we are prepared to enter eternal life, but only prepared people can enter a prepared heaven.  It is said when a person is born their hands are grasping and when they die, the hand is open.

I once heard a sermon in which the preacher made the true statement. “The day we are born, is the day we start to die.”

I pray you also will prepare as we all must for that day.  And we never know when that day will arrive, but it is an appointment we must all meet and prayerfully, prepared.

“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”   

 (Philippians 3:14)

Eileen Light