On Purpose

I've recently finished reading a couple of books by Dean Koontz. No, I'm not generally into horror stories. But these books are a little different. They are about a character named Odd Thomas.

The thing about Odd (yes, that's his first name) is that he sees dead people. Not evil dead, they've gone on. But those who are torn for whatever reason...love, fear, etc. His task is too help them if he can, along with the living.

This is what I like about Odd Thomas and why I'm writing about it. He lives on purpose. He knows this life is temporary. So everything he does is done with appreciation for the here and now with a view of the after always guiding him. He has no doubt to the existence of God. He knows He's there.

I was walking this morning, trying to organize my thoughts. I have a couple of writing projects going and my mind couldn't seem to narrow in focus enough to be productive. I approached the end of our subdivision, and my favorite horse was waiting for me. She watched serenely. I thought about Balaam and the donkey. I know that God has used this horse in my life before. I wondered if He had anything for me this morning.

My mind went back to the time He had first spoken to me through an encounter with this animal. He seemed to ask if I'd forgotten already the lesson He'd laid before me then. Simplicity. Keep it simple, stupid. (Okay, maybe the stupid part was my own mind adding to God's, I don't know.) But I got the point. Then I started thinking about Odd Thomas again.

Live on purpose. That's what I want to do.