Tanner Life

Embrace Life

Tonight I was reading my niece's blog and I found this quote. It's beautiful and I just can't resist sharing it all with whomever might read my own blog. It comes from the last sermon of a pastor named Kyle Lake. In 2005 he was a 33 year old father of three and pastor of University Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. He had written two books, was loved by everyone that came into contact with him and was an amazing, energetic pastor from what I've read. I've become a "wee" bit obsessed with his story tonight. On a regular Sunday morning he was in the Baptismal and about to Baptize a lady from his church. He reached up to adjust the microphone and was electrocuted and killed instantly, there in front of his family and church family. Can you imagine? What tragedy. It makes me cry as I sit here and think about it. Makes me stop and thank God once again for the life I have, the loved ones that are in my life and all of God's blessings. I am such a blessed child of God!

If you want to learn more about him yourself, just google his name. There is a ton of information out there. I am going to attach the link to the website about his film, "Kyle's Film". It seems that some who loved him made a 10 minute film with the words from this last sermon and videos to illustrate it. I've watched the trailers and they are amazing. While on youtube you can also view a home movie or two of him with his family. Again heartbreaking. I do stop and think though that through such a tragedy, his story and sermon live. How awesome is that? How many people will stumble upon his film, the blogs about him, whatever and be inspired to turn to God. That's a great big thing to leave behind.

http://www.kylesfilm.com/
You can watch the previews or trailers there.

Here it is, live BIG and EMBRACE life!!

"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."