Loving Learning Stuff – blogs

Today life rushed at me. Shocked me. Waking me into reality. Reminding me of what I already know, but forget easily.

I am reminded – Life is like a flickering candle. 

One moment brightly shining, keeping our dreams and schemes alive;

 – exciting, 

– our lives full of hope.

The next moment, an unexpected wind disturbs the brightness and strength of the flame. It flickers, causing uncertainty about its’ future. Life’s future. Our future. 

Will the flame return to shine brightly?  Or will the circumstances snuff it out?

Today news came, reminding me about life. And about death.  As life’s length is unknown. We all know this. There is nothing we can do to prolong our time, except care for our body, our mind and our soul.

Need I write of the every day decisions we all make, in trying to prolong our lives;

–  about eating healthily, keeping fit, – and regarding alcohol, cigarettes and drugs.

– of being gentle on ourselves, forgiving ourselves, and forgiving others. 

– removing the sources of stress by addressing the issues that challenge us.

– making better choices about people and situations.

And then there is the unspoken one. Considered to be taboo, private, personal and even offensive! 

Causing anger, splitting families, the reason for wars throughout history. Certainly contentious.

 It’s the decision of accepting or rejecting that we have a ‘Soul’ – that ‘God Part’ evidenced within all cultures and societies since human life began. For all time, this has been a part of mankind – we either accept it or reject it. 

But how do we accept it?

– simply by accepting our soul is real, followed by listenning to the prompting of our soul,  such prompting draws all of mankind closer to God.

Today I’ve been reminded of these things. It is a harsh reminder, a sad reminder, and a wake up call. As today news came, reminding me about life. And about death.

As you see, a life-long friend has been diagnosed with leukaemia. Untreated, he has maybe three months. Treated… God only knows the length of his days.

How can this be? As my life-long friend has many goals. In his retirement he has yet to do the things he has planned. 

His grand children are babies – so young. He has much to pass on to them. Let alone the shortened time with his wife and recently married children. 

The flickering candle must not blow out.

 ‘Not yet! Please not yet!’ This we pray. Hoping our cry is heard, hoping our tears are seen by the one who knows the exact time – the exact number of days allocated to each of us.
Today I realised again, that a life without hope, without faith, without belief in prayer being answered, must be dreadful. 

Without any hope of eternity ones remaining days must be depressing when facing death. Here one day, gone the next and all for what reason?

Without really knowing that; if the flickering flame is extinguished today or in three weeks or some years ahead, it will not mean eternal darkness. 

The end! Nothing! Over! All for nothing! 

Without knowing of a love greater than we have known and a promise, must be soul destroying. Causing fear and anxiety.

As, believing that the flickering candle will keep eternally burning, brings peace. As a renewed soul believing in Jesus will never be extinguished. That is God’s promise. 

For today life rushed at me. Shocked me. Waking me into reality. Reminding me of what I already know, but forget easily as I go about my allocated days.

 It’s not instinctive to believe. It’s not something to research and throw questions at. Or to analyse. As those attitudes know nothing about faith or hope. Faith is not logical. If it was, it’s not faith!

It’s from the soul – not the mind. Simply a decision to give in to. And by faith believe in. 

As the other option is not an option at all – making everything on earth utterly meaningless. A candle extinguished forever.

The flickering candle need not be extinguished.