It's that time of year when I start missing my children. All but two of them are married, and two of those have given us grandchildren. The other two are in good places in life, one finishing college and the other who just completed his graduate degree.

Last night, I phoned our youngest son and teased him for not calling home more often. It wasn't long, however, before tears stung my eyes as I said, "I didn't know it would be the last time that you would jump up in my arms at the grocery store and love on me while they sliced our deli meat. I didn't know it would be the last time you would pick flowers for me in the field. I didn't know it would be the last time we would snuggle together on the couch to watch a movie. No one warned me that those would be the last times."

Yep, I'm lookin' back and feelin' sad about things that will never be again. If I would just have known that that event would be the final one, I could have made it a point to celebrate and appreciate and accelerate my efforts to a greater degree.

But then I remember my friend's 28-year-old son who is mentally handicapped. She would love nothing more than to send him out into the world, prepared and ready because of those early nurturing experiences. She would also love nothing more than to look forward with anticipation at the new adventures and events that they would cherish later in her son's life.

Realizing that I do have opportunities and privileges today makes me want to be more deliberate about doing them well. After all, they just might be my last chance. My children might move far awy. My neighbor might never ask again. My sister might turn elsewhere to satisfy her need.

When it comes right down to it, every day is a series of lasts. Places we will never pass through again. People we will never again meet. Opportunities we will never have again. Shouldn't we be more deliberate about doing each thing well, whether it's loving on our children or helping a stranger in need? Shouldn't we make our voice be heard in a committed and Christlike way whenever the opportunity comes?

After all, soon we're each going to face the last of the lasts. Jesus will come back to gather up the persuaded and relocate us to the mansion He'e been building. On the way, I think we'll pass the possessions that no longer matter, but we'll also pass those things and people who do. The one's whose lives we impacted, took time for, and allowed Jesus to love through us.

Today, let's live as though it was our last. Let's love as though we won't get any more chances. Let's lead as though they have no one else.

And as we do, I don't think we'll want to look back and feel sad about those things that will never be again. Instead, our eyes will be directed forward at those things that lie ahead and to our rewards for the assignments we accomplished well in a last-things sort of way. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1Cor 10:31).

Our best, every day, for His glory. That's all He wants He wants from us. And that's the ticket that will get us into the greatest celebration of all--the one where last things have ushered in the first things. All because we lived each day, did each job, accepted each responsibility as though it was our last. It's the way God designed it, it's the way we should do it.