In a blink of time, measured against eternity, our life on earth takes many twists and turns. We laugh, we cry, we have successes, and we have failures. Our hearts are broken, our spirits soar to the mountaintops, and we are blessed and sometimes even cursed. Yet we think our lives here will never end. Sometimes we’re so burdened and broken that all hope is gone and we’re at the end of ourselves. Sometimes we think that we’ve found heaven on earth.

We get so busy “doing” life that we don’t always think about the gift of life and the Giver of life. The blessings are taken for granted, the work to be done overlooked, the lessons missed, the love unappreciated, and the time wasted. Every breath we take is a gift from God, who was and is, and is to come. He is worthy of all our praise and honor.

One year ago I had a stroke that forever changed the way I experience life. Time and life here is finite and precious—neither of which do we have any control over . . . only God does. We do have a choice as to how we spend it. Love more, laugh more, pray more, sing and dance more, help others, and—most importantly—get right with God. Eternity in heaven with God is infinitely better than eternity without Him.  —pic and copy submitted by Diane Billing, US