Thursday, October 04, 2007

What if... Thursday Thirteen

I've been asking myself a lot of questions this week. Here are a few of them.

What if...

1. I put together a list of 100 things I want to do before I die and then start to make those things happen?

2. This really is the only life I get to live on this earth?

3. I waste too much time making lists and spend no time making a life?

4. It doesn't rain for another three months? What will we drink, bathe in, and cook with?

5. I got pregnant again?

6. Steve got a job in London or Madrid? How happy would I be?

7. I didn't watch television again ever? How much writing and creating would I get done in all that recovered time?

8. I told everyone I know how much my relationship with God means to me, the radical difference faith in Him has made in my life, and how much better my life is now than when I only marginally believed and didn't take my spiritual life seriously?

9. Someone In Charge decides that this country needs to start bombing another country? Again?

10. Those of us who oppose war stood up and said "No" and pointed out the many ways that the war in Iraq has been disastrous for most of the people involved - just like we predicted it would be? (If you want more info on opposing another war in another country, check out Lisa's blog.)

11. This "Christian nation" with all its "Christian" leaders actually took love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy as our main objectives, stopped feeling like we have to "do it to them before they do it to us," and believed God when He said (over and over): "Do not repay evil for evil. Vengeance is mine; I will repay"???

12. We actually lived by His mandate: "By this will all the world know that you are my disciples, if you love one another"?

13. We stopped saying we are a Christian nation and became truly religious individuals? I like the definition of "religious" presented by James, the brother of Jesus?

He wrote in James 1:27 - Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

What if???

5 comments:

Amy said...

Gail,

Ah ... those haunting "what ifs." I ask my own questions (to myself) a lot.

Regarding watching less TV, I never watch it, except for this show I anchor once a month and The Weather Channel, and I still feel as though I get nothing accomplished.

You should try it for a week (no TV) and report back!

Amy

Anonymous said...

Amen and amen. I wonder many of the same things myself...well, not the part about getting a job in Spain!...but, nonetheless, I echo your sentiments and appreciate your words of wisdom and encouragement in prompting us all to live more like Jesus. To quote the title of a book, "More Jesus, Less Religion".

Right on,
Lisa

GailNHB said...

Amy, thanks for the No TV challenge. In actuality, I have been doing that this week. Except for my exercise shows in the morning, I have not watched television this week. I've gotten a lot more cleaning done around the house, finished one scrapbook, nearly completed another one, read a lot, created my "100 things to do before I die" list, and otherwise made much better use of my time. So far, so very good. I am now deciding which shows I want/need to continue watching and which I can leave behind forever. I admit that I am recording today's Oprah show (Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat Pray Love) to watch later.

Anonymous said...

Your words are lovely and warm to the heart. I love this site!

Kim:)

Lori Duncan said...

Gail, the verse from James is a personal favorite and very convicting. Great segment, thanks, I've journaled what ifs many times. These what if's provoke many thoughts. By the way the no TV for a week is a great concept when it's summer. LOL
Blessings to you and your family.

Lori