20 minutes to change a life.

A while back my friend Deb posted about what could be done with an extra 20 minutes in your day. And at the time I thought it was a great thing to think about, what could I do in 20 minutes? I spend a great deal of twenty minutes doing nothing of much value and it made we think of all the little stuff I hate to do that I could get done if I invested my time more wisely.

But this past week that time frame has taken on a new significance for me. This past week I was faced with mortality and the fact that in just 20 minutes ones entire life can forever be changed. See this past week a local volunteer fire fighter responding to a house fire, was on the scene just 20 minutes and it cost him his life. Twenty minutes...

Mark has been in countless house fires that last far longer than 20 minutes. I have stood at fire and watched Mark and the other firemen work for hours and no one gets hurt. Twenty minutes...he just wasn't there long enough for death! But that is just the point isn't it? That we never know how long. That we can't predict the timing going into those situations that forever change out lives.

The good news in this situation is that the fireman was a Christian. And so his home going will be somewhat of a celebration on Saturday. And yet, there is such a heaviness about this that I can't quite explain to people. Mark has been working every night on the logistics of the funeral and helping to coordinate the firemen from as far away as Chicago who are coming to honor a fallen brother.

I am sure that it will be an amazing tribute to a selfless man who gave his last 20 minnutes to help someone else. I just keep asking myself what I will do with my 20 minutes?