A close friend was on the job site a few days ago when a mechanical failure took the life of a worker. Our friend’s life, as well as those of other co-workers, were spared from what could have been a multi-fatal accident. Everyone was just doing their job. The day had started like so many other days. But one person didn’t go home that afternoon. Our friend praises God for his mercy that spared most of the men. In fact, one worker was approaching the area right before the accident happened. Being a man of faith, he heard God’s voice saying, “Get out of here!” He abruptly turned and retreated. Had he continued, he would have also been killed.

Our about-to-graduate great niece was participating in her high school’s end-of-year game, which involved following coordinates to discover objects. She and her closest girlfriend were trying to reach a location 20 yards from the shore of a large reservoir/lake. She parked her truck near the dam, and they headed to the water with a paddleboard, paddles, a flashlight, life vests, and her friend’s phone. They started at sunset, thinking it would only take a few minutes to get out that short distance into the lake and return. However, the object they sought wasn’t at the location the coordinates indicated. They decided to paddle a little farther. And a bit farther. Darkness fell quickly, and suddenly they were disoriented, with only water in view. They wisely screenshot their location coordinates and sent it to the friend’s mother. Then they called her to let her know they were in trouble. Unfortunately, the call was cut short due to an exhausted battery. Thinking help was on the way, they tried to stay at their current location. But the air temperature suddenly dropped to 40 degrees due to a violent thunderstorm that swept over the high mountain lake, pelting them with cold rain and blowing them to the center of the lake.

Before morning, the temperature dropped to 32°. The water temperature was 50°. Bonfires on a shoreline finally came into view. Whether hyperthermia had affected their decision-making ability, or just teenage reasoning, they chose not to paddle toward the bonfires for fear they were drinking parties, and they might come to harm if they went there. Then fog rolled across the water, cutting them off from those who were now searching for them. At one point, they could hear their names being called, but when they shouted back, no one heard them in the fog. Even a body heat-seeking drone from the rescue team couldn’t discover them in the fog, although the girls heard it overhead.

They were adrift for seven hours in the cold, wearing only shorts and tank tops- and life vests, which probably saved their lives by keeping in some body heat. They paddled in circles to keep their bodies moving, recited Psalm 23, prayed, sang, and talked about what they’d do when they arrived in Heaven.  About 4:00 am, their flashlight caught a reflector, which they recognized as being on the dam close to where they had parked. As they paddled toward the reflector, they could see flashing police car lights on shore, piercing the fog and darkness. They were safe at last!

Did I mention that her dad had a scary boating incident the same weekend hundreds of miles away from home?  All his belongings ended up at the bottom of a river, and he narrowly escaped harm.

Oh, and dear friends experienced a close call this week when two of their kids were cooking to help out mom, who recently gave birth. Some oil in a pan got too hot and ignited. Thinking dousing it with water was the best thing to do; they created an aggressive fire that damaged the kitchen, but not them.

And dear Husband’s best friend and co-worker when we lived in Asia, died this week.  They were exactly two weeks apart in age.

So what is my point in telling you these stories? My takeaway is: There is no guarantee of tomorrow, so I should spend my day on what matters: loving God and people. Time spent reading God’s Word with the intention of obeying is an investment in a happy life. Setting aside time to worship and learn with other believers enriches my days on earth.

There is always work that needs to be done, but we can do it with a servant’s attitude and a grateful heart.

In our time and place, there is also the luxury of choosing how we spend discretionary time. We can fritter it away, scrolling, being entertained, doing hobbies, (Not saying we never can enjoy these activities), or we can invest much of our free time in helping others.  We can’t do everything, so we must choose wisely in order to do the things that matter most for God and others. It may be a text to let someone know they matter to us. It may be setting aside family time to strengthen bonds and stay connected. It may be delivering a meal to someone who is sick. It may be contributing your skills to a non-profit. It may be teaching the Bible to children at your church. It may be mentoring a young person. It may be hospitality, creating an oasis for someone to come and be loved on.

When I was a young mother, La Leche League was a great help to me. Their mantra was ‘People before things.’ A nursing mother has to give up some things to dedicate herself to her infant. They suggested choosing what to give up by that standard. It’s advice I still follow. Sometimes our pride prevents us from choosing wisely. We push away family while trying to make ourselves or our homes look good. We prioritize ‘Me’ time, but not ‘We’ time. We pursue what we think we want, but we end up empty-hearted even if we aren’t empty-handed. Retired people aren’t immune to temptations, either. Our culture tells us we deserve to do what we want after working hard all our lives. But we’re happier if we do what God wants. He pays excellent ROI (return on investment).

The other thing these close calls reminded me of is that God is in control. He has assigned each of us a certain life span. Nothing can take us before our appointed time. Nothing can prolong our lives when our hour comes. God is merciful and gives us time to live and love. He is powerful enough to protect us. He is kind enough to give us second chances. He is wise enough to decide the exact day of our death.
“Teach us to number our days,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Moses in Psalm 90:12

“you knit me together in my mother’s womb. . . My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place. . .
Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:13,15,16