i read an article the other day regarding the death of steve irwin, the much beloved crocodile hunter. after outlining the career of steve irwin, the author then highlighted the life of extreme skiier doug coombs who was tragically killed while skiing 50-degree couloirs in the french alps. both were parents, both met their end doing what they loved best. this article posed the following question:
where do you draw the line of sacrifice between what you love and who you love?
though these two men led extraordinary lives, constantly pushing the limits of what could be done, should they have toned it down a bit for the sake of their family?
it's a difficult concept. i think we can all step outside of our lives and consider things that we might have done differently.
i had lunch with my mom yesterday. in college, my mom majored in french. one of her dreams was to complete graduate school and then go on to teach at the universite' sorbonne in paris. after undergrad, she met my father, and they fell in love. my grandfather was not very happy about the decision to postpone graduate school. the next year, my mom received a calling to become an officer in the salvation army. she never made it to paris.
back in 1989, my parents planned the european vacation they had always dreamed of. london, paris, austria, germany.. after they arrived in paris, the took the "metropolitain" (i.e. subway) into the city and visited the universite' sorbonne. as they got off the train, mom told me she cried. she had finally made it.
we all make sacrifices in life. and they are usually very complicated decisions made while taking into account our family, our spouse, our calling, our dreams, our passions. these are all things that have taken a hold on our hearts. but i believe that we must continue to push forward.
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one things I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." --Philippians 3:12-14
posted by Kelly @ 9:06:00 AM
2 Comments:
"we all make sacrifices in life. and they are usually very complicated decisions made while taking into account our family, our spouse, our calling, our dreams, our passions. these are all things that have taken a hold on our hearts. but i believe that we must continue to push forward."
wise words, kelly, held up against the back drop of that powerful verse. the "pushing forward" and the "straining toward" is a challenge we often miss; we prefer to lean back, duck, cower into the safety of our conventional choices.
thanks for the reminder.. great post!
What stands out to me is when you talk about the sacrifice your mother made. She had a vision. She had desire. And she gave up that vision and desire for the sake of her calling. In this age which glorifies vision and desire is this a testimony to God's providence?
"Taking hold of that which God took hold of me"
Just seems like there is a holiness of vision and desire which can be obtained by continuing to push forward in His will. Sometimes it means letting go of dreams and other times achieving them.
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