There comes a time in every person’s life when a decision must be made. This decision is extremely pivotal. By no means is it an easy decision. Making this decision takes time and requires thought. You’re sitting at your favorite restaurant and the waiter asks, “Will you be having dessert tonight?” You know you’re full from the incredible meal you just ate, but the thought of a chocolate fudge brownie with vanilla bean ice cream on the side cannot get off your mind. You try to weigh out the pros and cons of partaking in this amazing, chocolaty experience. You think about the calories you would consume and the amount of squats you would have to do in order to redeem yourself. Instead of listening to your thoughts, you decide to splurge and enjoy the greatest brownie of all time.
So now that you are probably craving something full of chocolate, I want to introduce you to my hero. His name is Ed Dunbar, also known as Pip, and I have known him all 19 years of my life. Pip is my grandpa, my hero, and my mentor all in one. As a kid, I would always get so excited every time Pip was going to pick me up from school that day. It was always an adventure. He would drive up to the school with my dog, Bojack, riding in the passenger’s seat. I would hop in and he would take me to the same gas station every time. We would walk in and I knew the unspoken rule. The rule basically went like this: I was allowed to get as many “Bug Juices” and chocolate chip cookies as I wanted. On the weekends, I knew that every Saturday Pip would be at my house and bring me chocolate milk and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I would wake up to my dad and Pip waiting on me to eat breakfast and we would all watch SpongeBob until I was finished. At the time, I never understood why Pip would go out of his way to do these things for me.
Looking back, I have realized that Ed Dunbar did not do these things simply to satisfy my sweet tooth. He went above and beyond to show how much he loves me. Throughout the years, I have watched him show love to so many people in our community. Regardless of who they were or what they needed, he was willing to lend a helping hand. He was and still is always willing to do whatever he can to show the love of Christ to people. He was never too busy to sit down and talk about life. He has shown me the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity to be intentional. I think about all the times in my life when I over-analyze a situation and allow my thoughts to keep me from doing something out of my comfort zone. Ed Dunbar has shown me what it's like to use every opportunity to love, to give, and to listen. When you aren’t sure if you should take advantage of the chance to reach others, just do it. Don’t get stuck in a mind game.
My biggest fear in life is that one-day I will look back and regret not doing enough. Just like Pip, I want to take chances and live to the fullest. John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” We are not called to walk around worried about being embarrassed or making mistakes. Jesus has called us to live abundantly for His glory. Get out there and take that leap of faith and watch how God will use it. Some of your greatest blessings in life will flow from your willingness to give and serve others. Instead of worrying over the negative consequences of eating that brownie, just do it and enjoy every bite. Life is way too short to skip out on desserts.
