Collecting Experiences

When I was a kid, I collected baseball cards.

Today, I collect experiences.

I blame it on Forrest Gump in a way.

That film moved me when I first saw it.

His life was a single story made up of multiple stories.

Stories worth telling.

A life in full.

I wanted a life like that.

In my life so far, I’ve experienced many cool things.

Some of my favorite snapshots…

Popping the question to my bride-to-be during a huge blizzard.

Going overseas when I was in the Air Force for a critical mission (a Top Gun moment)

Sitting in a boardroom atop the Chase Manhattan building overlooking New York City helping make some strategic decisions for a Fortune 500 company.

Seeing my daughter born.

Baptizing my son on Father’s Day a few years back.

Teaching the first message at Project Church and seeing it move from a vision to becoming a reality (we’re still in the becoming phase).

Being able to say thank you and I love you to my Maw-Maw before she breathed her last.

Going to my first wrestling match as a kid and touching all the pro wrestlers as they entered the ring.

Seeing my parents slow dance in the living room to “Sea of Love.”

Planting a tree in Israel.

Driving with my high school buddies on a Friday night listening to “1979″ by the Smashing Pumpkins.

See my beautiful wife walk down the aisle at our wedding.

There are so many more things.

But I have many regrets.

Not just things I’ve done.

But things left undone.

Dreams and experiences collecting dust.

What about you?

Are you living a life worth telling stories about?

Better yet, what’s the story your life is telling?

We settle for a life of trinkets and trash.

When we could have so much more.

Don’t collect Precious Moments, create them.

Your life matters.

Don’t waste it.

You were meant for more.

Love God.

This will fill your heart.

Love people.

This will give you meaning.

Collect experiences.

This will give you stories.

Live free!