I am standing here in our church sound booth typing this blog. Why? Because I am here at, yet another, funeral service running sound. (Don't worry, nothing is happening right now).

Funerals are sad, they are difficult, but I appreciate the reminder of a lesson that I learned several years ago as a youth leader. A gentleman in our community committed suicide. I did not know him personally but I also did not know one person that either knew of him or knew him personally prior to his death. Then, after his death, those who didn't know him heard about him from everyone else. He was very encouraging to all those around him and loved by all. And yet, he committed suicide. In his note he mentioned that he felt no one loved him and no one cared.

The very next youth night we had the youth leaders sat down and called each of the youth to us one by one and spoke with them privately. While speaking to them we would begin by explaining that in light of this gentleman's death we wanted to do a live funeral. We weren't going to wait for their funerals to say what we would say there. We told them the things we love about them. We told them the things that blessed us about them. We told them the potential we saw in them.

There were tears. There was joy. It was the best funeral I have ever attended because there were no regrets. There was none of the "I wish I would have told them..." because they were there.

Seize the day. These days are short. Think about someone dying and what you would regret and start living with no regrets!!!

I love you all,
Bri