Choose Life

Choose Life

My day was busy and scheduled full. I had not yet done my morning exercise routine and showered – when my cell phone lit up. It was my chiropractor.

For years we had threatened to hike Kennesaw Mtn. Every Fall, we cajole each other about our elusive hike. I eventually wrote it all off, thinking my doctor didn’t want to cross some imposed patient line. I had left it alone and forgotten our idle threat.

My cell phone lit up with the name of my chiropractor. That’s a switch. I’m always calling him to get in without an appointment. He still squeezes me in every time.

“Alan… let’s do our hike!” said the gruff voice on the other end of the call. My schedule flashed before my eyes. But before my “Oh, I’d love to, but I am so busy” could eke out, I said, “Sure!” What was I thinking?

My morning reading was about choosing life. Parker Palmer wrote about being a co-creator of my reality. I thought of Shawshank Redemption. “Get busy living or get busy dying.”

Our 2.5-mile hike took my relationship with my doctor to a whole new level. We talked about our kids, marriage, and faith. He wants a faith that secures eternity but just doesn’t know how to grab onto it.

I chose life and not the slow death of a demanding schedule. We hiked. We did life. I eventually showered and made it to all my appointments – about 15 minutes late. It’s amazing how everybody and everything survives and thrives when you choose life.

Get busy living or get busy dying.

On Sunday, we’ll be diving back into our “Neighboring Well” series. Our friend from Kenya, Bishop David Munyiri, will be challenging us with “What’s My Motivation?” Why would we neighbor well? What would possess us to reach out? Love? Is it to put another notch on our old evangelism belt? Or… is it to choose life? Is it to hold out the Author of life.

So many have, by default, chosen death.

We know Jesus, who is life.

Get busy living or get busy dying.

See you Sunday. It will be good to gather and see each other. It seems like it’s been forever. And don’t forget we’re meeting at 4 p.m. at the Smyrna First Baptist Church. There will be one service. Please read all the details in this update email.

Blessings,

alan