Before the Curtain Closes...

I attended a funeral today and it really caused me to think. As I was sitting there, a curtain closed to allow the family a few more minutes together before the service began. It caused me to think about several things that I want to happen before the curtain closes on my life.

1. I want to live as long as possible. I have come to realize that this is going to take a strong commitment to my physical health. Not for just a few months or years, but a lifetime commitment to excercising and eating right.

2. I want my kids to know me, love me, and respect me. So many fathers are not there for their kids. Sometimes they are physically not there and sometimes their physical body is the only thing there. They are so disconnected. Since my childhood, one of my strongest desires is to make sure that I am a good father. I don't intend to let anything get in the way of that. I know a lot of guys that put ministry in front of their family. I plan to be very intentional about making sure that my family knows that they ALWAYS come before everyone else!

3. I want to love my wife and treat her like the amazing lady that she is. Some guys think that their wives are there to take care of the house, kids, etc. While Joni does all of those things, that is certainly not her job! I help out when I am at home. I do not expect her to take care of everything while I sit on the couch and watch TV. I am pretty biased, but I have the most amazing wife on the planet. At the lady's funeral, they talked about how her and her husband had been married for 50 years! What a legacy! I can't wait for the day Joni and I can look back and say the same thing. Nothing excites me more than to think about doing life with her.

4. I want to make a huge impact on this planet. For whatever reason, God chooses to use us in His great plan. He doesn't have to do so, He is God. He could certainly do it all alone. He allows us the honor of being a part of seeing people come to know Christ. My desire is that he would give me the opportunity to make a huge difference in this world. In my lifetime, I want to see God do amazing things and move in a way that hasn't ever happened before. I want to be right in the middle of what God is doing!

I could talk about these things all day long! What do you want to see happen before the curtain closes?

Todd
jtlollis@hotmail.com