Last week, after my kayaking trip, my friend and brother in Christ, Jim Paul left a comment on my blog about the tragic death of pastor Kyle Lake of University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. According to Jim's account, pastor Kyle was killed when his wireless microphone shorted out while performing baptisms! He died of electrocution while performing a holy rite for God. I can only imagine the loss and confusion his family and congregation must be experiencing right now. If you believe in God and the power of prayer, please pray for this grieving family and church.
Jim passed on a quote from pastor Kyle's last sermon that was profound to say the least. Please read it, ponder it and then act upon it. None of us knows how long we have been given, so let's really "Live and live well!"
"Live. And live well. BREATHE. Breathe in and breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now. On a crystal clear, breezy 70 degree day, roll down the windows and FEEL the wind against your skin. Feel the warmth of the sun.If you run, then allow those first few breaths on a cool Autumn day to FREEZE your lungs and do not just be alarmed, be ALIVE. Get knee-deep in a novel and LOSE track of time.If you bike, pedal HARD… and if you crash then crash well.Feel the SATISFACTION of a job well done—a paper well-written, a project thoroughly completed, a play well-performed. If you must wipe the snot from your 3-year old’s nose, don’t be disgusted if the Kleenex didn’t catch it all… because soon he’ll be wiping his own.If you’ve recently experienced loss, then GRIEVE. And Grieve well. At the table with friends and family, LAUGH. If you’re eating and laughing at the same time, then might as well laugh until you puke. And if you eat, then SMELL. The aromas are not impediments to your day. Steak on the grill, coffee beans freshly ground, cookies in the oven. And TASTE. Taste every ounce of flavor. Taste every ounce of friendship. Taste every ounce of Life. Because-it-is-most-definitely-a-Gift."
Everything I have read and heard of Kyle Lake, both before and after his death, give me the sense that he was just like this sermon. Scott Ayers, who was both a friend and a fellow pastor, even thanked Kyle for wiping his nose once! I smile through tears everytime I read this... I think it should be one of the quotes on Starbucks' Cups!
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