The Highway Don't Care
I don't know about you, but I love to sing in my car. Sometimes, it takes me a few times of listening to a song to fully understand the meaning...or the deep impact of it.
A few weeks ago, I just loved to pretend to harmonize with "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw (ft Taylor Swift and Keith Urban). It's about a guy singing to his significant other that the highway doesn't care, but he can't live without her - basically a warning to be careful on the roads when she's driving while emotionally charged. It was my new favorite song.
Then (in real, Cal-and-Chelsea life), tragedy struck. A dear family friend, a brilliant guy Cal grew up with, died instantaneously in a car crash. One, that was truly no one's fault. A pot hole. An inanimate object caused his death.
How? How does that happen? We cried. We prayed (he was in a coma for a few days) for a miracle. Come on, God...you have to save the guy who could quite possibly change the world. But, He didn't. He chose to save several other lives through our friend's organs.
Last Monday, I was driving to work and the song came on. I sang along automatically, and then the words hit my heart. The highway doesn't care. A road took someone we knew's life. One second driving to dinner, the next...in heaven. What a wonderful day for him (and God), but a shocking one to everyone back on earth.
A few days before I had read and since been chewing on Ann Voskamp's words: "how can we live a full life in order to be fully ready to die?" Just like that. Not when we plan it...but rather, when God plans it. It's not just in the big moments, but the small ones too...how you make your day amongst the mundane tasks. Do you live a joyful life? One with no regrets? I'm not saying YOLO - or live life recklessly - but to live fully and for God.
And then the crash happened. And those words suddenly meant so much more. If I were to die tomorrow...today...in minutes...would I have lived a full life?
We went to the memorial service on Saturday. And it was just beautiful. I am suddenly in awe of his parents...who have the strength and faith of God upon them. This was their son - one whom they had so much more earthly hopes and dreams in mind for - and yet they both said they had seen countless times already (in the past 8/9 days) that this was God's plan...and that they knew their son had a full life. What courage it takes to walk so faithfully through a path of life that they did not choose.
While we grieve for this young man, Cal and I have already been so inspired by him and his family. We talked of dreams and aspirations we have for our own, so that we can make the most of our time together, not knowing when we or anyone we know will join our Father in heaven.
When saying goodbye to a loved one, always say you love them.
A few weeks ago, I just loved to pretend to harmonize with "Highway Don't Care" by Tim McGraw (ft Taylor Swift and Keith Urban). It's about a guy singing to his significant other that the highway doesn't care, but he can't live without her - basically a warning to be careful on the roads when she's driving while emotionally charged. It was my new favorite song.
Then (in real, Cal-and-Chelsea life), tragedy struck. A dear family friend, a brilliant guy Cal grew up with, died instantaneously in a car crash. One, that was truly no one's fault. A pot hole. An inanimate object caused his death.
How? How does that happen? We cried. We prayed (he was in a coma for a few days) for a miracle. Come on, God...you have to save the guy who could quite possibly change the world. But, He didn't. He chose to save several other lives through our friend's organs.
Last Monday, I was driving to work and the song came on. I sang along automatically, and then the words hit my heart. The highway doesn't care. A road took someone we knew's life. One second driving to dinner, the next...in heaven. What a wonderful day for him (and God), but a shocking one to everyone back on earth.
A few days before I had read and since been chewing on Ann Voskamp's words: "how can we live a full life in order to be fully ready to die?" Just like that. Not when we plan it...but rather, when God plans it. It's not just in the big moments, but the small ones too...how you make your day amongst the mundane tasks. Do you live a joyful life? One with no regrets? I'm not saying YOLO - or live life recklessly - but to live fully and for God.
And then the crash happened. And those words suddenly meant so much more. If I were to die tomorrow...today...in minutes...would I have lived a full life?
We went to the memorial service on Saturday. And it was just beautiful. I am suddenly in awe of his parents...who have the strength and faith of God upon them. This was their son - one whom they had so much more earthly hopes and dreams in mind for - and yet they both said they had seen countless times already (in the past 8/9 days) that this was God's plan...and that they knew their son had a full life. What courage it takes to walk so faithfully through a path of life that they did not choose.
While we grieve for this young man, Cal and I have already been so inspired by him and his family. We talked of dreams and aspirations we have for our own, so that we can make the most of our time together, not knowing when we or anyone we know will join our Father in heaven.
When saying goodbye to a loved one, always say you love them.
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