Live Like You Mean It
I slept in my own bed last night.
It was decadent.
You see, I’ve been harbouring a secret. While I pre-programmed my blog to automatically post super exciting stories about our recent Attic Room Makeover, my husband and I were travelling for our camp for 2 weeks.
On the very last leg of our journey, we got word that a very special lady had passed on to her heavenly home.
Margaret.
The same Margaret from this Miraculous Tea Party and the inspiration for this art.
She was 96 years old.
As I’ve been going through the process of absorbing this new reality, I’ve spent quite a bit of time reminiscing over my memories of Margaret. I’ve also been watching and listening to the words others say about her.
This was a woman who
- served tea and preached sermonettes
- gripped your arm and looked you in the eye
- knew her mind and spoke it
- read to her husband on their evening boat rides around the harbour
- substituted vinegar for eggs in recipes
- gardened and canned and froze
- grew flowers and displayed them on her countertop
- loved to play Battleship with young people (Hmmm…I wonder how she always won??)
- served and loved people along-side her husband of over 65 years
- {and much more!}…
Her life impacted the lives of others.
Including mine.
She and her husband started the camp that my husband and I now live at, work in, and love.
Without her vision and obedience, I wouldn’t be doing what I am.
***
I’ve also been thinking about what others might say about me when I’m gone. It’s a sobering thought. Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed with inadequacies as I compare myself to legends like Margaret. The good news is, though, is that Jesus doesn’t ask us to compare ourselves to others.
Instead, He asks us to be the people that He made us to be. We’re unique. individual. The particulars of our lives will never be the same as the person next to us.
What He does ask, though, is that we look to Him for the wisdom to live like and for Him each day.
That’s what Margaret did.
She lived life. On purpose. With purpose. For Him.
I want to do that, too.
It is always so easy to compare ourselves to someone special. When in reality we are all special in His eyes. It is so easy to forget to be just grateful for that person in our lives and then we miss out on why they were put there in the first place.
Sweet memories for you and your family and the other workers at the camp who knew this lovely lady…cherish her for why she was here, a servant of Christ and look to the future when you will spend eternity relishing in her gifts!
Eph.3:20 has become like the theme verse of my life over the last several months. My hubby and I shepherd a smaller church(80 people) and over the last 5 yrs, it has been our mission to bring Gods loving care to a group of people that had endured a traumatic church split. Their once gaping wounds are now just battle scars and its time to move forward. Slowly, patiently, we’re developing a group of loving,caring Christ followers ready to make a difference in our very needy world, our community. Every so often, this verse pops up, as if He’s saying, Trust me, petition me, don’t forget the power available to you. And it’s all to bring glory to Him.
Beautiful post, Rita…
Inspiring.
Beautifully written – from the heart! We need to stop every once in awhile and rememeber that we all are special in His eyes.
Thanks Rita for the wonderful memories and comments about Margaret. She was a wonderful lady. I was blessed to know her for just a little while, … long enough to see her goodness and have a cup of tea in her backyard. God is raising up a new generation at your camp. He will continue to do mighty things in Jesus’ name. That’s an exciting thing for you to be part of, I’m sure.
Thanks for your memories of the very memorable Margaret. Wow! she sure used her life to change the world for the good! She didn’t even need a lot of money to do so. She cherished the simple things in life: her wonderful and faithful husband Alf, the beauty of God’s creation all around her, young people no matter where they came from and of course, God’s word: her guiding light. Let’s just think about love as we remember Margaret. She loved her life and all of us. What a terrific legacy.