How Do You Want to Die?

I know. Morbid thought.

Do you want to go suddenly or do you want time to prepare?

Would you choose to “go out” while doing something you love or go to sleep one night and wake up in the arms of Jesus?

Would you choose to linger awhile with a terminal illness in order to “tie up loose ends?”

Would you ever consider taking your own life?

Do you think about the effect on the ones who are left behind?

Do you think about your legacy or the type of funeral or celebration that would follow or the words you would want on your tombstone?

Years and years and years ago, before I knew better, someone did a detailed “astrological chart” for me. This person told me I would die traumatically.

Too much information. No thanks. I’m glad only the One who created me knows my future.

I have this dream of knowing, though. Some lead time. Not as a burden but making the journey with courage and serenity. Leaving an example. Passing into eternity with the name of Jesus on my lips, leaving wise words and hugs behind. Holding hands. My loved ones will weep briefly, only briefly. And then they will laugh and celebrate. And life will go on, and they will be stronger.

That’s MY plan.

Truth is, I don’t know the what, when, where, why or how.

I could walk out of this office and fall down the stairs and hit my head within the hour. I could run headlong into a semi on my way to pick up Gracee from school.

My husband’s cousins were on their way to visit relatives. When they slowed for a toll booth, a semi rammed into their rear. Their car exploded into flames.

Not far from our house, a semi collided into the back of a farm wagon sporting a slow vehicle sign. The farmer died at the scene.

It happens.

I could be diagnosed with incurable cancer next week.

Or I could  live, spry and sassy, for another 40 years.

Only God knows. It’s HIS plan.

So I need to be prepared NOW. With earthly affairs and relationships in order. And my eternal connection intact. Living as if I only have today. Not waiting for someday.

As Pope Paul VI said: “Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every day. Do it, I say! Whatever you want to do, do it now! There are only so many tomorrows.”

So how do you want to die? Or maybe a better question–how do you want to live?

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs the and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” II Corinthians 4:16-18 (NLT)

Copyright © 2010 by Sandra Heska King