A Life Well-Lived, part 18, Big Shoes to Fill

“We just need some black shoes – for a funeral,” I told the sales clerk at the shoe store. Mother wanted me to take her to get some shoes for Timothy’s service, so here we were. 😢The young woman looked troubled and answered, “Oh, I’m so sorry. Did they live a full life?”

I paused to consider the answer. Typically, that question means, “Did they live a LONG life?” And the answer here would be, “No.”

But did he live a FULL life? I had been putting together his obituary and slide show for the funeral, so I was very familiar with all the places he had gone, the certificates he had earned, the skills he had acquired, the people he had met and blessed, the languages he had spoken, and the antics he had enjoyed. I couldn’t accuse God of cheating him out of anything that he ever wanted to do! Hmmm. “Yes, he did.” I affirmed to the sales clerk. “A very full life.”

Jim Elliott (martyred missionary to the Auca Indians in Ecuador), like Timothy, lived only 28 years on this planet. One of Timothy’s heros, Jim Elliot wrote in his journal,

“God, I pray thee, light these idle sticks of my life, and may I burn for thee. Consume my life, my God, for it is thine. I seek not a long life, but a full one, like you, Lord Jesus.”

Living a full life looks different for each person. I couldn’t fill Timothy’s shoes, but I can be inspired by them! Jesus told a parable about 3 people who were given different amounts of gifts (talents), and they were all expected to use them to their fullest potential. Whether you’ve been given 1, 5, or 10 of these gifts, start investing them into the Kingdom. We can’t all be “Timothy,” but we can have a Well-Lived Life if we take what we’ve been given, offer it to God, and ask God to set it on fire! ❤️

“I’d rather burn out than rust out” (Amy Carmichael, missionary to India).

“He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Luke 3:16

"Is not my word like a fire? declares the Lord." Jeremiah 23:29

“Everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required…” Luke 12:48

1. The hunting boots! Hunting was a huge part of Timothy's life until he got so tied up with flying that he didn't have much leftover time. The deer had better show up pretty fast on opening day!

2. Timothy's plan was to climb Mt. Everest, with shorter mountains in between here and there. So he had lots of gear ready to go! These are 3 boots inside one another and are rated for like 50 degrees below 0. Count me out!

3. Even if you have flat feet with inverted arches, keep running! Timothy ran several marathons, just to prove he could, even though it was impossible to find comfortable shoes for his "special" feet (These are the shoes Timothy was wearing on his last flight.😢)

4. Guessing these rubber feet go with the scuba suit we found. Scuba was another one of his certifications!

5. These are either ice/snow shoes or matching bear traps! lol He never got to use them to climb Mt Everest. Some plans are not meant to be.

6. Aw! The work boots! He fixed many a fence and chopped through many a frozen pond with these on! Timothy was a really hard worker. I remember one time, Timothy and Joseph had a bunch of their buddies over to spend the night for some reason. Herb surprised them by handing each one a shovel or a pitchfork and saying it was time to dig the potatoes! I heard one of the fellas mutter, "I knew I should have worn my work boots."😂