A Living Example

Today, I was reminded of my friend Margaret Murphy, who died several years ago. Marg knew all about living life well. Laughter followed her everywhere she went. She was never too busy to read a good book, enjoy a good meal shared with others, or learn something new. Marg had time for conversation with her friends and with God. She knew how to say thank you. Even when she was fighting to breathe, a smile would cross her face as she thanked a nurse or one of us for some small act of love and care. Her life was a lesson for me in following the way of Christ. She lived totally, every moment of her life.
We are all given the same twenty-four hours each day. How do we use them? I tend to hate wasting time sleeping. Yet sleep is God’s gift, given to enable our bodies to rest and repair after a strenuous day. Without sufficient and regular sleep, our bodies will eventually malfunction.
Many of us today, don’t think there is time to sit and eat a quiet meal. We gulp down fast food or even if we eat a more nutritious meal, we sit in front of our computer or the television. The ability to eat is God’s gift given so we will have fuel for living.
Often we don’t have time for exercise. There’s just too much to do and too little time. We forget that God has designed our bodies so that they need to move in order to remain supple and work well for us.
We know these things about our physical being and yet we ignore them.My friend Marg taught me not to ignore the things I need for healthy relationships with other and with God. She modeled a touch of love, small acts of kindness, saying thank you, an enthusiasm for every opportunity. She knew that these are the exercises that keep us young and filled with a passion for living.