Heart Choices: What Would You Do If You Had One Month Left To Live? -->

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What Would You Do If You Had One Month Left To Live?


Just imagine you were given the news.  It's a hypothetical.  But think about it.

You have one month left to live.

What would you do with the time you had left?  Be honest!

Would you hop on a plane and finally take that island vacation you've always dreamed about?



Would you go to Paris?


How about the island of Capri?


Would you eat lots of sweets not giving a care about the calories and sugar?


Would you take your credit card and shop 'til you dropped?
Source: goo.gl via Gisela on Pinterest


Would you clean your house top to bottom so it would be nice after you're gone?


Would you buy gifts for your friends?


Would you plan a huge party to say goodbye?


Would you call your loved ones?


Would you finally forgive the one who wronged you?
Source: google.com via Dawn Ann on Pinterest


Would you finally share what's really on your heart with others?
Source: flickr.com via Despina on Pinterest

What emotions would you be feeling?

What's on your bucket list?

I'd love to read your comments.  And be honest.  No judgement here.  One month left.

How would you spend that time?

Blessings and love,

QuickEdit
Debbie Petras
30 Comments
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30 comments:

  1. This is a hard question, Debbie. I would probably drive my kids crazy because I would want to see them every day. I know I would do a lot of praying and reading the Bible. I would make a few phone calls. As much as I love to shop, it would be totally meaningless as would traveling to exotic places. Wow, and the thing is none of us knows whether we only have a month to live _ or even a day for that matter.

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  2. I would pack up the kids and travel. I'd want to make as many positive memories for them as possible :)

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  3. Hi there, Powerful post Debbie and like Charlotte said, we never know how much time we have left. Let's see, I would take all our family-grands too(16 of us plus my brother and sil)to Ireland to see our grandparents roots. I would want to spend every minute loving up on them and also to spend time with friends I love. No buying things-such waste, maybe cleaning out things so hubby & the kids didn't have to deal with my junk. I would definitely be telling others of the HOPE I have for eternity. Thanks for making me stop and think.
    Hugs, Noreen

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  4. Actually, I think about this from time to time because we just don't know when we will leave this earth. I would want to be with my wonderful husband and sons as much as possible and my pastor and his wife. These would be the people I'd want to spend every waking moment with before I left. Then I'd want to see all the rest of my family and friends. I would hope the joy of knowing I was going to be with my Savior Jesus Christ would make the last month a time of celebration for everyone I love and that they wouldn't be scared or sad that I was leaving them. Death is bittersweet. We want to go and be with the Lord yet we know the pain that separation from loved ones causes for us and them.
    xo

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  5. Wow. I hate to admit this but I would probably clean and organize my house. But very good and thought provoking question. I knew a girl who was dying and she made lots of scrapbooks for her daughter, wrote letters to her for the different times in her life and took her to Disneyland because she liked to see her smile.

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  6. Good questions. I'll have to think on this. Of course I'd want to spend as much time as possible with my hubby and family. I'm not sure what else.

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  7. Be care ful what you ask for Debbie!!! I think I would want to pack all the kids and grandkids up and then swing by Phoenix and pick you up, and go to Norway!!! Maybe make plans to see Felisol while we were there!! And hopefully it would be at Christmas... can you imagine?? :)

    And after having said that, I think I would be much bolder in sharing my faith daily...

    maybe we could do all of that!

    xo

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  8. How many things can one actually do in one month?
    If those were important to me if I just had one month to live, I guess they should be equally important every day. Because any day can actually be my last, the day and the hour was known to God before I even was born.
    Martin Luther, the old church reformer said, "If I knew I was going to die tomorrow, I'd nevertheless plant a tree today."

    So I kind of guess your question is, what would I do, that I should already be doing today?
    First and last, I would pray. I hope I'd testify even more convincing and burning about God's way to salvation through Christ.
    I hope I'd be able to forgive what I cannot forget.(I pray that prayer every night, the Lord's Prayer.)
    And I guess I'd finally find time to throw away, give away, of my abundance,
    tidy up in closets and drawers.Then maybe plant a tree.

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  9. Wow... why not ask a more serious question next time;). Actually, I would spend less time worrying about my house and do some traveling with my family. I'd park myself in the mountains somewhere, eat out lots, and do a ton of writing. Mostly, I would spend precious time with the people I loved the most.

    Now I'm crying. Guess this one hits me hard.

    peace~elaine

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  10. Oh, me, what a tough one! And, I've got to ponder this for a little while but I think it is a good thing to ponder. Definitely spend more time with my family and think of everything possible that I ever wanted to tell them. As usual, you always bring joy to my heart with your posts. Love you!

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  11. Wow Debbie, you really did hit a nerve. I definitely know I would want to go someplace cool, but then again, I would want to be where my family and friends were. Hm..I do think I would need to get to the ocean with loved ones, spend some time creating memories, but also just creating - maybe a picture, a craft, just writing. Yes, I would spend time with the Lord, but maybe not as much formal time as one would think - eternity will be for that. I'll just take HIm along on that final adventure. Oh yes, I'm seeing it better now - I'd rent that house by the ocean, have friends come and go, laugh, eat, share, minister. I would hope I would leave the world at peace with all those who were important to me. What would you do?

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  12. I would gather all my loved ones close, and tell them all how much they mean to me.

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  13. WOW, I am reading this at 12:00AM and hopefully will be coherent in my answer. One month is not a lot of time. I think the first thing I would do is make sure I was right with God. I mean, I know I am saved and I love Him with all of my heart. But I would want to seek forgiveness for anything not already unforgiven. Next, I'd pull my family in real close and love on them. I'd write letters to all of my children and to my husband about living toe good life while I am gone. If I had money, I would love to visit Israel before I went to be with Jesus. All I can think of right now.

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  14. I would want it to be a happy time, not a sad time. I would want to share every minute with my precious family and friends who have encouraged, loved, and been a part of my life and encourage them to live life ...day by day... to the fullest and be thankful for every blessing God has given them. I would want to share my faith and assure them that there is a promised land waiting for us and they need to be prepared! :)

    Whew! I will probably think about this all day! :)

    How about you my friend?
    Blessings and thanks!
    Denise

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  15. I would NOT clean my house...I would jump on a airplane, with all my kids and we would travel the world for a month..seeing all of God's beauty. I would talk about His faithfulness and point to everything that pointed to Him...I would eat and enjoy every wonderful taste, that He also created.
    I would kiss and hug them..oh and hubby, I forgot him, that was assumed...and say I love you over and over again.

    I would pray that God grant me my last prayer...that all my children and future grandchildren would walk with Him.

    Truth is...none of us know do we? My hubby and I talked about this yesterday...stop putting off until tomorrow...go rent a canoe...some day may never come.

    Great post!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  16. Wow I have enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on this. Believe it or not I have thought about this before. There is NO doubt I would spend every minute with my wonderful hubby and everyone of my kids and grandkids...eating together and enjoying life. I would also write everyone who is REALLY important to me a private letter telling them just how they blessed me in life and why. Which of course I could always tell them, but this way they'd have something to read over and over again when I am gone, and our conversations while I am here wouldn't get too emotional. Don't want anyone being sad. I'd be sure and let everyone know how much their being right with God meant to me. Cleaning house? NO WAY! Traveling? Never did have much appeal to me Shopping? Pointless....Just being with those I love....Oh, I guess I might enjoy some of my favorite forbidden foods if I am being honest, haha. This was a great question Deb! The truth is of course none of us ever knows the day and hour our souls will be required of us, so makes you think. This is how we should live our lives no matter what huh? HUGS

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  17. I was having trouble posting a comment the other day...So I'd thought I'd try again (if I have only this month to live...I will do the same)...I know for sure to make each day last, making memories with my loved ones. I would never cease telling and showing them how much I love them. Even now, I get sad when I think how short truly our time is here in this place but then joy overcomes when I start thinking of what is to come. Thanks be to God for His hope and true promises. Blessings to you sister.

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  18. The first thing I would do would be to look at my schedule and eliminate 95% of it. Then I would make time to spend with family and friends...make memories for them I would attempt to reconcile with those broken relationships that exsist in my life, then I would make sure I left a daily journal that would give testimony to God's faithfulness as I got closer to home for an encouragement to those left after I was gone

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  19. Wow, what a question to ponder. I would do as so many others commented and especially related to Janette's prayer for her children and grandchildren.

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  20. I'd spend the time with family. My immediate family and my cousins in California. I'd spend time praying and trying to draw closer to the Lord whom I would be seeing soon. And I'd want to travel WITH FAMILY to a special place just to be together in God's creation.

    Good to think about!

    Blessings,
    Janis

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  21. It's such a relevant post, Debbie. Is there ever a time or a day that we need not keep in mind the brevity of our lives?

    Were I to have but 30 days remaining, I do believe I'd stop fussing over calories & weight, and eat a whole Lemon Merinque Pie. I'd seek out family & friends, wringing every possible memory-making opportunity out of life. I'd draw nearer & nearer to God, that He would be nearer to me at the moment of exit.

    Like my father before me, I might even go fishing.


    Our days may come to seventy years,
    or eighty, if our strength endures;
    yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, or they quickly pass,
    and we fly away.
    Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.
    ~ Psalm 90:10, 12

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  22. P.S. It occurs to me that an equally good question would be: What would you do were you to know that the person you love most dearly in this life has but 30 days to live?

    That's a whole lot tougher for me to answer.

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  23. That is a very difficult answer. But one thing I do know...I would not worry about cleaning the house from top to bottom. I would definitely want to spend time with my closest friends and family. I don't think I want to spend time on an island. This is something to think about.

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  24. Spend the last days of my life with my loved on a sunny beach:)

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  25. Debbie - Such a good question to ask ourselves from time to time. I would only want to spend my time on being with family, enjoying the outdoors, writing, and talking to the Lord about what He would want me to do to be ready to go.

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  26. Difficult to answer, but I know exactly what I would do. I would clean up my house from top to bottom, keep the essentials and the memorable stuff, then give away everything that I think would be put to good use by someone else.

    It would be the final push that would make me clean up my clutter once and for all.

    But now that I'm saying this, I don't need to know that I only have a month to live to do this! I can begin right this week... (today is a SUnday here)

    But Debbie I loved the pictures you posted here! Glad I came by this morning...

    Much love
    Lidia

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  27. Debbie, it is always so wonderful to see you at Journal of Faith. I've been so consumed with publishing lately that I haven't had as much time to be in the blogging world. :( But, don't for a second think that I have forgotten to keep you in my continual prayers. This post is so powerful. Honestly, I can't even imagine. I pray for those who are facing this scenario every day, and my heart is continually broken for them . . . it creates in me a greater urgency to reach those who are lost. Sometimes I think I'd have bolder faith to preach the gospel if I knew my time were more limited. Maybe I'd spend an outrageous amount of money to buy a prime time spot commercial to speak to the world about God's saving grace. :)
    Love you sister!
    Cherie

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  28. I haven't really thought about it but say I only have one month to live (knock on wood, I'd love to meet with some old friends that I had issues with and tell them I forgive them, likewise ask for their forgiveness. I would also eat whatever I want, the way a man on a death row would. I'd go some place that I'd always wanted to go to and take lots and lots of pictures. I will tell my love ones I love them. I will give away my stuff so that they can be of use to other people. I will also fix whatever problem I have that may affect my loved ones, this is so they wouldn't have to worry after I'm gone.

    And I will tell this person something that I have always wanted to say but couldn't.

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  29. I don't think I'd travel. I think I'd gather my family around me and spend it together, playing games, baking, looking through photo albums, writing down as many family stories as we can remember. I think I'd cry. A lot. And hire a photographer to follow us around and capture us in the normalness of life. So they don't forget. Making breakfast. Reading on the couch. It's getting me teary eyed just thinking about it, so I think I'm ganna stop!

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  30. I would write letters to my sons. I would want them to celebrate that I am going to where I've always wanted to end up. I would want friends and family to come visit so I could tell them what they meant to me - and I would want to hug and hold tight - 7 second hugs like the ones my sons give each other 'cause brothers can hug for 7 seconds.

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I love to read your comments! I know you have something to share so join in the conversation. And thank you for taking the time.

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