You have made my days a mere handbreadth;

The span of my years is as nothing before you.

Each man’s life is but a breath.

~Psalm 39:5 (NIV)~

When was the last time you stepped back and expressed a deep gratitude for the gift of life?

I’d love to say that every day I wake up, I voice thanks for the mere opportunity to live and breathe another day. While I do take moments to ponder on how truly amazing life is, I tend to get wrapped up in my day-to-day activities and all the hustle and bustle that I often forget to stop and give thanks for God’s beautiful gift of life.

A song from Jason Gray called  “Good To Be Alive” (see video below) has been playing over and over in my head lately. I’ve been reflecting on the song’s lyrics, particularly the following:

I wanna live like there’s no tomorrow
Love like I’m on borrowed time
It’s good to be alive

I won’t take it for granted
I won’t waste another second
All I want is to give You
A life well lived to say, “Thank You”

How often do you live like there’s no tomorrow? Love like you’re on borrowed time?

I’ve experienced and witnessed this type of living and perspective during a few seasons in my life. You might not be surprised to hear that these moments of clarity occurred during difficult times.

Most recently, I captured a glimpse of living like there’s no tomorrow after my dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer in the spring of 2011. With the cancer pervasively in his bones, my dad was told he had four to six months to live.

In the days, weeks, and months that followed, I watched my dad live like there’s no tomorrow and love like he was on borrowed time. As he fought the cancer, he drew nearer to his family and friends, spending hours talking and connecting with his loved ones. And even more beautiful was the relationship my dad had with God during this time. My dad gave my family and me one of the most precious gifts—he showed us what it truly means to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

My dad lost his battle with cancer four and a half months after his diagnosis. I miss him terribly, but I find a deep peace in knowing that the way he lived his last days expressed his true love to God and his gratitude for the life he had been given.

In the midst of this difficult time in my life, I reflected often on how precious life is and how we are not guaranteed the next breath. I believe I experienced moments of living like there’s no tomorrow.

Yet, the memory is fickle, isn’t it?! When death looms so close to us, we gain perspective of what a treasure life is. But when hardships fade and life goes on, it’s easy to forget those lessons we learned.

I’m not sure I will ever faithfully live each moment like there’s no tomorrow. But I believe I can learn to live more appreciatively of the moments I’m given each day and the breaths that fill my lungs. I can learn to not take them for granted and to live with the purpose that God’s given me. I can seek to give God “a life well lived to say ‘Thank You.'”