She's gonna die?

What a revelation...well we are all going to die right? We just don't think about it every day. Should we? If we did would we live differently? This was something we discussed in an ethics class I took on death and dying. In order to die well do we all need to be living well? I think so. Yes, we will all die a bodily death, but will we die well?

This was a topic of conversation this week in my house. Our nine year old dog has been sick and we found out she has kidney disease. Our time with her is more limited than we previously had thought. Honestly this is the absolute sweetest, most obedient dog I have ever encountered. It has broken my heart to see her in pain and suffering. I have become an amateur veterinarian trying to help her feel better. She has been refusing to eat or drink for a week now and ate little to nothing the week before. I have been giving her a liter of fluids a day through an i.v. that I have to put in every morning. Talk about doing something you never thought you would or could do. But man I love this dog! We sit by the front door and watch the birds and squirrels while I pet and stroke her and tell her how sweet and good she is. It takes time for a whole liter of fluids to empty, but it is quality time. Time I am forced to slow down...time I wished I had taken before now.

How much do we take for granted daily because we think we have tomorrow or that we will get around to it. When pressed, when whatever it is we take for granted is threatened to be taken away we hold on for dear life! Suddenly our priorities are realigned.

When I told my 11 and 7 year old about our dog there were a lot of tears. My 11 year old asked repeatedly, "she's gonna die? she's gonna die?" It seemed almost ridiculous to me listening to her. My reply was, "of course she is honey, we are all going to die, she is just going to die sooner than we thought in a way we did not expect." But of course that was the reaction. Somehow death takes us by surprise. I wonder why?

Could it be because God created us to live forever? Perhaps this piece of who He created us to be is so much a part of who we are that despite the Fall and all of the goodness of God and His original intent that has gone astray, this bent toward eternity remains? What else does?

As Christians could we talk about death more? The spiritual death and resurrection in our baptisms? The echoes of the here, but not yet, of the kingdom of God. Eternal life that begins the day we unite our lives with God in Christ, not in another time and place.

Christ's death, conquered death, for all time, when he rose again, restoring and redeeming God's intent for humanity.

Suffering of any kind is difficult to witness. Even after my chaplaincy expereince in a children's hospital I cannot fathom how a parent can even breathe when their child is severely injured or chronically ill. What I do know is that in loving and supporting these families it was easier. In sharing with others what God has graciously and generously given to me, it was easier. The human emotion of compassion is not possible unless it is a reponse to suffering. What do we do with that?
Don't take a day for granted. Live like you are dying...you are, well at least your body is, and life as you know it is temporary, how temporary no one knows except God Himself.

Live well, that you might die well.