What Really Matters?

by Chris Paredes

About two weeks ago I spent a day at the bedside of my dying grandfather. It was an extremely emotional day and the two weeks since then have been tough. It's hard to watch someone who was once so vibrant as he passes from this world to the next.

In one of his last lucid moments, my grandfather made a confession of faith to my sister. He's 91 years old and it took us until now to have that difficult conversation, which actually was pretty simple once it happened.

As painful as this time is, it is bringing a lot of perspective to my life. I've got to be honest, it is taking everything in me to post to this blog right now. Things like blogging, facebook, twitter, myspace, email and all of our other virtual relationships seem really stupid in light of the passing of someone who you have a real relationship with. Regardless, here's some of what I have learned in these two weeks.

-My family is amazing, more amazing than I've ever realized. I love them deeply.
-There is absolutely no replacement for a face to face conversation.
-Death brings out the true heart of people (both the dying and those around them).
-Even in death, God is purposeful, he left nothing out when He created us.
-We spend far too much time worring about our lives here, and we often ignore eternity.

I hope that what God is doing in me right now can somehow encourage you to go and live face to face with someone. God Bless