Stop asking 2 questions

Stop asking 2 questions by Phil Cooke
I've beome a virtual Jedi-Knight right out of Star Wars when it comes to email. I've learned to receive email on my computer or cell phone through wireless networks, cell phone links, or I can get it off any other computer anywhere in the world. When it comes to email, I'm really never out of touch. And I was very proud of myself until the thought occurred to me that when I get to heaven, Jesus isn't going to pat me on the back and say, "Hey Phil, great job on the email." I rather think He's going to ask me whether or not I accomplished my calling and assignment during my lifetime.
That's when I started thinking abou the difference between what we think is urgent and what really matters. Our lives are filled with things other people think are urgent--things like phone calls, voice mail, email, faxes, overnight deliveries--all kinds of appointments, activities, schedules, work, and more.
But how often do we stop to think about what really matters in our lives?
When it comes to being "slaves of the urgent," there are 2 questions we ask ourselves way too often:
1) How much will it cost?
2) When will it be ready?
We've let our lives be controlled by money and schedules, and we've forgotten about dreams and visions.
I sat on an airplane not long ago next to a woman who looked like she was about 40 yrs. old. When she discovered I worked in the TV industry she got really excited and told me the following story:
"When I was in high school, I was the best actor in our drama department. I starred in all our school plays and really loved it, so I naturally decided acting was what I wanted to study in college. My parents were very supportive, so they drove me to a number of universities so we could take a look at their drama departments. It was all very exciting. But after a few visits, I realized that most actors study drama in college for 4 years, then go on the graduate school, and most continue taking classes thoughtout their lives. And when I added it up, it seemed like that would take a really long time and cost a lot of money. Between the expense, and the length of time it would take, I finally decided it was just too much, so I stopped acting."
She wiped a small tear from her eye and said, "That was almost 20 yrs. ago, Today, I'm a credit manager at a used car lot in California, and every single day I wake up and realize that decision to stop acting was the worst decison of my life. I gave up on my dream because I thought it would take too long and be too expensive. Today, I would pay any amount of money or wait as long as it took if I could only make that decision over again. But now it's too late, and I'll never achieve my dream."
She turned, a little embarrassed, and looked out the window realizing that she had considered the cost and how long it would take, she had made a short-term decision. Unfortunately, it left her without long-term satisfaction.
Someone once asked me, "Is what you're living for worth Jesus dying for?"
If it's not, have you considered that it may not be too late for your to start moving toward the dream that God put in your heart? You might think, like the woman on the plane, that you've missed your opportunity. But perhaps there's still time in your life to change course. You may want to think again, and ask God to help restore, in you, His dreams and visions for your.