Dr. Mike Murphy
January 19,2014
The holidays bring memories to us we cherish for a lifetime. And when you add kids to the equation, those moments hold a special place that we find ourselves revisiting often. But this year, the holidays brought different memories for the Smith family. Over the period, their twelve year old daughter, Taylor, developed what the family thought was the flu. With medication, fluids, and soups in hand, the family prepared to get her feeling better as soon as possible. But what her parents did not know, was her condition was much more severe than had been diagnosed. On January 5th, Taylor passed from complications with pneumonia. The Smith family had been left devastated. This young girl who was so full of life and joy, had left their lives way too soon.
A few days after her death, the family found a letter Taylor had written to herself, to be opened ten years in the future. In reading the letter, they saw the special gift that God had placed in their lives twelve years ago.
Dear Taylor,
How’s life? Life is pretty simple right now (10 years in your past). I know I’m late for you, but as I’m writing, this is early, so; congratulations on graduating high school! If you didn’t go back and keep trying. Get that degree! Are you (we) in college? If not, I understand. We do have pretty good reasoning, after all.
Don’t forget, it’s Allana’s 11th birthday today! Sheesh, 11 already? In my time, she just turned 1! I didn’t get to go to that party though, because I was in Cranks, Kentucky for my first mission trip. I’ve only been back for 6 days!
Speaking of, how’s your relationship with GOD? Have you prayed, worshipped, read the bible, or gone to serve the lord recently? If not, get up and do so NOW! I don’t care what point in our life we’re in right now, do it! He was mocked, beaten, tortured, and crucified for you! A sinless man, who never did you or any other person any wrong!
Now, have you gone on any more mission trips? Have you been out of the country yet? How about on a plane?
Is Doctor Who still on the air? If not, what regeneration did they end it with? You should go watch some Doctor Who! Later though, you gotta finish reading your own words of wisdom!
Do you have your own place yet? If we’re in college, what are we majoring in? Right now, I wanna be a lawyer.
Have you been to Dollywood recently? Right now, their newest attraction is the Wild Eagle. It’s so fun!
Also I think I’m going to sell my iPad and buy an iPad mini, Don’t forget to tell your kids that we’re older than the tablet! Attached I also have a drawing of an iPad, so you can show them.
Well, I think that’s all. But remember, it’s been 10 years since I wrote this. Stuff has happened, good and bad. That’s just how life works, and you have to go with it.
Sincerely, Taylor Smith
From the mouth of a child(Matthew 21:16)! If we could only find in each of us the wisdom that this young girl showed! Ask yourself these question, if you were writing a letter about you today to yourself in ten years, what would the letter say? What would you tell your future self about your life today? What would you want to make sure that your future self still found important in your life? What would you want to see your future self doing with his or her life?
In her short twelve years, Taylor learned what many of us never do in a lifetime. Life is an incredible gift, but a gift each of us must be accountable for. This gift can bring us the greatest of promises and hopes. But for us to see those hopes of tomorrow fulfilled, we must keep the promises of today. With this gift, the Lord presents us with many opportunities. Opportunities to better and change our lives, and often opportunities to change the lives of so many of those around us. But these opportunities are not promised tomorrow, only when the Lord brings them to us today.
Look at Taylor’s words again. “Have you prayed, worshipped, read the bible, or gone to serve the lord recently? If not, get up and do so NOW! I don’t care what point in our life we’re in right now, do it! “ Her words preach stronger than most sermons! In Taylor’s words, we see the importance of not waiting until tomorrow, but acting ‘now’, today. ‘Now’ can be one of the Holy Spirit’s most powerful words, commanding us to an opportunity that may never come our way again. We often define the word ‘now’ as meaning ‘at this moment’, but the definition is actual much deeper. It comes from the Hebrew word ‘attah’, and it actually means ‘from this point on’. When we act ‘now', when commanded by the Holy Spirit, we put into action events that will change things from this point on. When we witness to others, we can change a life forever from that point on.
When we see this through the Lord’s eyes, we truly begin to understand the power in the word ‘now’. Taylor’s life and letter, and the reality we all face, shows us the importance of today. The opportunity we have today to tell those around of what Christ has done for us, can be a blessing lost tomorrow when we do nothing. There is no better time than now to show those around us the hope that only Christ can bring to our lives.
I pray that when you write to your future self, all of your letters will be filled with the word now. I also pray that the Lord will present you with opportunities each day while you are waiting to open that letter in ten years. And I say a very special thank you to a future friend of mine named Taylor. I am so blessed to know, that right ‘now’, the Lord has graced me with an eternity to get to know you!
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| The Smith Family |
Hoping each of your lives are filled with opportunities from the Lord, NOW!
