While shaving this morning, I sliced off part of my chin. At least that’s what it looked like judging from the amount of blood. I don’t remember ever having to actually use a band-aid before to stop the bleeding after shaving.

This incident reminded me of my dad. He died in 2005 from leukemia. Because of the disease, his blood wouldn’t clot as it should have, so even small cuts were a problem.

About a week before he died, I had to take him to the emergency room for a cut on his shoulder. He told the doctor he got it when he bumped into a door frame. We think he got it when he fell in the bathroom, but he was too embarrassed to admit it.

My dad got very sick the following week and was admitted to the hospital. We were told he only had a couple days left at that point. On the day before he died, he said some things I’ll never forget.

“I never really got to know the grandkids,” he said.

My dad and step-mom lived in New Jersey. I lived in Arkansas with my family. Over a thousand miles separated us, so we only saw each other a couple times a year. He regretted not seeing his grandchildren more often.

Later, I asked my dad what one moment from his life he’d live over if he could. Without hesitation, he said, “The first time I kissed Sylvia.” Sylvia is my step-mom. At the time he died, they’d been married about 5 1/2 years. Those were 5 1/2 very happy years for my dad!

With less than a day left to live, my dad’s desires were very simple ones. At one point, he said that if God gave him two more days to live–one day for whatever he wanted and one day for whatever God wanted, he said for his day, he’d take Sylvia out to dinner. He knew though he’d never leave the hospital room he was in.

The night before he went into the hospital, we were all sitting around the living room drawing questions written on slips of paper. The question I drew asked what one event from history would you like to have witnessed. I said I would like to have been there the morning Jesus came back to life.

In the hospital that day, my dad mentioned my answer and said, “That really is the most important thing.”

The resurrection and family. Those were the things on my dad’s mind when he knew he only had a very short time left. No mention of work or money or hobbies or television or football or anything else.

Relationships. With Jesus and others.

Whatever is going on in your life today, don’t lose sight of what’s most important. We believe God when we place the highest value on what He does.

In the midst of whatever trial you’re facing today, keep your eyes on Jesus. Seek Him. Drop the distractions that won’t matter in the end.

Is there a relationship with a family member or friend you’ve put on the back burner? Maybe you’ve been so overwhelmed by your circumstances that you’ve felt like you have nothing to give to anyone else. Will you trust God for the strength to reach out? To your spouse? Your children? A parent? A friend or co-worker?

Someone needs you today.

That day in the hospital was my dad’s next to last one on earth. Early that evening, he was given something to help him sleep. It should have put him to sleep, but it didn’t.

He must have fought to stay awake because my sister had not yet arrived from North Carolina. He wanted to see her for the final time. When she arrived around midnight, she found him sitting on the side of the bed. Waiting.

After they spent a little time together, my sister left. At some point in the night, my dad tried to get out of bed. He fell and lapsed into a coma. He died the next afternoon.

When there’s very little time left, what’s most important becomes much more clear.

You and I really don’t know how much time we have left.

Do we?