LAFL

Ever heard the expression "yolo"?  You Only Live Once.  I prefer the lesser well-known acronym "lafl".  LAFL means Living A Full Life.  Okay, so, I just made that up, but it still counts!  LAFL is different than YOLO. 
Just recently I discovered the importance of living life to the fullest.  Living life to its fullest capacity means laughing at yourself, loving the people around you, building friendships, not caring what people think of you, giving all your time and money away, trusting God.  It means eating a second piece of cake and then killing it in a workout the next day.  It means giving hugs and listening to other's problems.  It means jumping into the lake with all your clothes on.  It means impromptu water fights in the backyard.  It means putting down the cellphone.  It means sleeping under the stars.  It means trusting God no matter what.  It means dancing until you drop.  It means serving.  It means singing and dancing even though you can't.  It means quiet time with God in the early morning hours.  It means curling up beside a fire with a book and hot cocoa in the winter.  It means snowball fights.  It means learning a new instrument.  The list goes on, and on, and on, and on.  And your list might be different than mine.
The best life is one lived with abandon.  Running straight ahead, not caring about what lies behind, and not worrying about what lies ahead.  The Christian life is meant to be lived with abandon.  You see, a Christian life isn't 'safe'.  If you are never uncomfortable, never afraid, and never mocked, you aren't living the true Christian life.  Christian are supposed to love when they are hated.  We are to serve instead of being served.  We are supposed to believe when it's not popular.  We are to be peaceful when the boat is rocking.  We are to shine in the darkness.  We are to be content with whatever we have.  We are to be joyful, not necessarily happy, when the circumstances look grim.  We are to pray for hours when "we don't have the time."  We are to give everything to God, not knowing if He will give any of it back.  We are supposed to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled.
LAFL and the Christian life take everything you've got.  It's pouring yourself out to others, every last bit of you.  Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Will you LAFL?
~Michaela