“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35, NIV).
Last weekend, the world’s oldest dog crossed the rainbow bridge. His name was Bobi. Bobi lived on a farm in Portugal. Bobi was thirty-one years young and holds the record for the world’s longest living dog.
Bobi’s owner, Leonel Costa, claimed that the secret to Bobi’s long life was good food, fresh air, and lots of love. Yet, as amazing as Bobi’s longevity was, physician and author, Edward Stieglitz, once said:
“In the end it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.”
Many will remember Bobi for how long he lived. However, the people who loved Bobi will remember him more for all that he did.
Paul claimed that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Bobi was one who gave lavishly of himself. For the better part of his life, Bobi was a guard dog. He protected the Costa’s family, as well as the livestock that Leonel raised to feed his family. Bobi likely put his life before those he loved to keep them from harm.
Personally, I have discovered that there is no better feeling in the world than knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life. In most instances, I have received far more blessing in my service to others than any blessing I may have rendered toward them. And ironically, the key to a long and fruitful life exists in what you give rather than how much you get.
According to Bio-Med Central, a United Kingdom organization that publishes medical journals, forty different medical studies have found that helping others on a regular basis can reduce early mortality rates by twenty-two percent. Serving others can lessen rates of depression, lower blood pressure, and increase one’s sense of satisfaction. In short, living beyond yourself can lead you to live a happier, fuller, and longer life.
How long you live truly depends on how you live. Just ask Bobi’s owner. Bobi made every day of his life count.
So can you. Pay a visit to a homebound neighbor. Set out a bottle of water for the mail carrier. Take a coworker to lunch and listen to her struggles.
What you do for others will not only impact their lives, but it will enhance yours as well. In the words of the inimitable Mr. Spock, may you live well and prosper. And may others likewise prosper because you lived well.
Last weekend, the world’s oldest dog crossed the rainbow bridge. His name was Bobi. Bobi lived on a farm in Portugal. Bobi was thirty-one years young and holds the record for the world’s longest living dog.
Bobi’s owner, Leonel Costa, claimed that the secret to Bobi’s long life was good food, fresh air, and lots of love. Yet, as amazing as Bobi’s longevity was, physician and author, Edward Stieglitz, once said:
“In the end it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.”
Many will remember Bobi for how long he lived. However, the people who loved Bobi will remember him more for all that he did.
Paul claimed that it is more blessed to give than to receive. Bobi was one who gave lavishly of himself. For the better part of his life, Bobi was a guard dog. He protected the Costa’s family, as well as the livestock that Leonel raised to feed his family. Bobi likely put his life before those he loved to keep them from harm.
Personally, I have discovered that there is no better feeling in the world than knowing you have made a difference in someone’s life. In most instances, I have received far more blessing in my service to others than any blessing I may have rendered toward them. And ironically, the key to a long and fruitful life exists in what you give rather than how much you get.
According to Bio-Med Central, a United Kingdom organization that publishes medical journals, forty different medical studies have found that helping others on a regular basis can reduce early mortality rates by twenty-two percent. Serving others can lessen rates of depression, lower blood pressure, and increase one’s sense of satisfaction. In short, living beyond yourself can lead you to live a happier, fuller, and longer life.
How long you live truly depends on how you live. Just ask Bobi’s owner. Bobi made every day of his life count.
So can you. Pay a visit to a homebound neighbor. Set out a bottle of water for the mail carrier. Take a coworker to lunch and listen to her struggles.
What you do for others will not only impact their lives, but it will enhance yours as well. In the words of the inimitable Mr. Spock, may you live well and prosper. And may others likewise prosper because you lived well.