Live Like Your Dying

 It amazes me how many times we fail, fall, or disappoint people. Over the past few months I have done this repeatedly. Whether is was not making good grades, or just not being there for someone in need. This is only one of my many down falls that I make. The follow up of this is having the all to sad "pity party". I usually get down in the dumps when this happens. I turn into the guy I was before I met Christ. A guy that hates everything about himself.
 However, the times that I feel at my lowest dump God has a way of bringing people into my life that will point me right back to Him. A short time ago I was in one of my pity parties when a friend lent a helping hand. As a matter of fact she has pulled me out a numerous amount of times in the past month or so. When I get in one of those moods she tells me, "Matt, it's ok your human." Being human sucks most of the time. Yet, the only thing better than being human is quite frankly being dead. Now before you get crazy on me the dead I am talking about is life. Paul tells in his letter to the church in Philippi, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21) He is saying that he will gain much when he dies for he will be with Christ.
 This reminds me of a song that hit the country music stage several years ago. The song: Live Like You Are Dying, the artist: Tim McGraw. Now this song is not a song that you would think could be used, but it talks about living your life to the fullest. Now in my idea of living life to the fullest means living every second I have like Christ. So when I die I gain much.
 My friend also told me just recently that I didn't have a very optimistic attitude. I stood back and took a look at my life and realized that I truly had a pessimistic attitude most of the time. If I were living like I was dying then would I not relish the opportunity to be in the lower dumps to see that I am gaining so much more when I conqueror it. A lot of times I turn to self pity, but if I turned to God first when I screw up then those dumps would disappear altogether.
  This has been an excerpt from the mind of Gates. I do hope you will consider these things and enjoy life. God bless and have a wonderful day.