The Question

It's been a while since I blogged. Today I felt compelled to write this.

One of the things that I love to do is ask questions. It doesn’t matter if I am standing in front of a thousand people giving a "talk" or sitting with someone in a coffee shop. I feel that questions can open us up to think and discover.

A good question will shake us up to make us think about how we are living.

Here is my question for you today…

Do you know what your purpose is? Do you know why you are on this planet? (I know that’s two questions)

I have been spending some time over the past year thinking about my purpose. I have asked why am I on this planet a number of times. The answer has been hard to find since I find myself drawn to all sorts of things. I believe I am discovering the answer to this question.

What I have learned is that when we find the answer it has the potential to change everything.

It will change…

how you view the people at your workplace

your relationships

your friendships

your conversations

your family

It even has the potential to change how you view everyday living.

I used to hate it when people would challenge me to think about my purpose. I used to think who cares just live and let the chips fall where they may. But the journey over the past year has helped me realize how important purpose is.

So I ask again…

What is your purpose? Why are you on this planet?

If you can enter the journey and find the answer to this question it has the potential to get about living life to the full.

I think this is what God would want from us.

Just sayin!

Next Summer

Where do I start?

This week I had to say goodbye to someone who I will probably never see again. That person is my stepfather. Over a year ago he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Things are not great right now and I really felt I needed to make the trip to New Brunswick to visit him and my mom.

It was a great visit. My younger brother was there as well. In about a 2 day span, we all laughed, talked, and cried together. We had such a great time, the four of us. We had the biggest feast of fiddleheads you have ever seen (if you have never had them, I feel sorry for you).

There was a moment I had with my stepfather when I sensed a real strong push to ask him about what he is facing.

I asked him what he would like to do before he dies. I know it was a tough question but I wanted to ask. He paused for a moment and then said he could not think of anything right away but he wished he had not pushed things off to next summer.

When he said those words I knew right away what he meant.

He wished that he had just done things when he had time. He wished he had not put certain things off.

It was the most intense conversation about life and death I have ever had with someone close to me. He welled up and I just plain old cried.

I wonder what we have put off to next summer that we just need to do:
- Call an old friend
- Tell someone that you love them
- Thank someone for all they have done for you
- Or even thank someone for being a great “papa” to your kids

Whatever it is that you have been putting off, let me encourage you not to put it off until next summer. Do it now!

Just sayin!