Make it Count

I am going to go ahead and do something that I find really annoying. I'm going to write a post that contains an entire song's worth of lyrics, and probably even a link to the song itself.

I first heard Point of Grace's  How You Live a few years ago, at a time when my life looked very different from what it does now.  I fell in love with the song and lyrics then, but over time, I kind of forgot about it.

I spent a sobering evening with some dear friends recently, and as I was thinking about it this morning, those lyrics slowly started to resurface.  You'll see them below in just a minute, but I would like to go on record and say that the longer I live this life of mine, the more passionately I believe in the message that they convey.  

We get one chance at life.  I know for a fact that I want to live with my heart wide open.  I want to embrace the truth, love what is mine, and live in peace with my Creator and with myself.  No regrets, no looking back, no bottling things up.  I want to say what needs to be said and give without reservation.  In short, I want to make it count.  That, my friends, is a life well-lived.

So, enjoy.  And yes, I am going to link to the song at the bottom, because I don't know about you, but I tend to "get" stuff better when it's set to music.  (And yes, I know I am totally carbon-dating myself with this Point of Grace and Cindy Morgan business.  Loud and proud, loud and proud!)

How You Live [Turn Up the Music]

by Cindy Morgan

emphasis added by yours truly because I like those parts an extra lot

Wake up to the sunlight with your windows open

don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken

wear your red dress, use your good dishes

make a big mess and make lots of wishes

and have what you want but want what you have

and don't spend your life looking back

Turn up the music

Turn it up loud

Take a few chances

Let it all out

'cause you won't regret it

Looking back from where you have been

'cause it's not who you knew

And it's not what you did

it's how you live

So go to the ball games and go to the ballet

go see your folks more than just on the holidays

kiss all your children, dance with your wife

tell your husband you love him every night

don't run from the truth, 'cause you can't get away

just face it and you'll be ok

Turn up the music

turn it up loud

take a few chances

let it all out

'cause you won't regret it

looking back from where you have been

'cause it's not who you knew

and it's not what you did

it's how you live

Wherever you are and wherever you've been

now is the time to begin

So give to the needy and pray for the grieving

even when you don't think that you can

'cause all that you do is about to come back to you

so think of your fellow man

make peace with God, make peace with yourself

'cause in the end, there's nobody else

Turn up the music

turn it up loud

take a few chances

let it all out

'cause you won't regret it

looking back from where you have been

'cause it's not who you knew

and it's not what you did

it's how you live

Watch here.  (Seriously, it's actually a pretty good video.  I'm kind of choked up now, having just watched it.)