I wonder if this is even possible... no regrets.

Christine DiGiacomo
6 hours ago
5 min read

podcast: https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/db04d147/i-wonder-if-this-is-even-possible-no-regrets

I just had to put my foot in the rushing water of the Jordan River (in this spot), so I jumped a fence and, No regret!

"Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards."¹Such a profound sentiment by Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, so few words; we really 'get it' when we look back, but sometimes living in the not-yet known leaves us uncertain.

Yesterday, I received a text message in the wee hours from an airplane over the Pacific Ocean, "Kel's dad just died. What the heck?' And just like that, my friends, Brian and Kelly were thrust into closing out a man's life. Whoa. Think of it, when they boarded the airplane for Hawaii, they had no idea John was in his last days. That is heavy, but worthy of thought.

Last days. Do you ever stop and think what your last days will be like? Will you be filled with joy knowing you are closer to Heaven, soon to see your Creator and God? Will you have a sense of contentment for having lived a full, satisfying life, or will you be filled with regrets? Makes me think of Sinatra, "And now, the end is near and so I face the final curtain..." and "Regrets, I've had a few, but then again too few to mention..."

O, may our regrets be too few to mention.

Is that possible-too few to mention?

And then I wonder. . . [There is a lot of fruitfulness in wondering]

Is it possible, from this day forward, to live a life with no regrets?

Hmmm...what if we determined to live each day to please God, making our decisions based on that priority, would it be possible? Hmmm.

Today is a gift from God,

and with that in mind, I have a proposal

let's you and I purpose to be present and live well.

Step a little closer...because living well will influence dying well.

And a life that pleases God means intention and discipline in three areas.

~>whether or not I am of somewhat sound body and mind in my last days may hinge in part in how I take care of the body God has given me - on a daily basis, starting today. Paul said, "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified." ²My physical well-being into the future requires personal discipline: good nutrition, exercise, quality sleep and minimizing stress.

Never losing sight that we have been created in the image of God³, and 'our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit⁴, we have a responsibility to take care of ourselves, to 'honor God with our bodies'. How ya doing taking care of your temple, Friend? Exercising it, feeding it well, resting? It is never too late to take better care of yourself.

~>Who will be near me in those later days of my life, both physically present or in the sweetest of memories? Those I have valued and loved well, my closest relationships. Therefore, short accounts must be kept, no bitterness allowed to take root. "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."⁵ Maybe some of us have some phone calls to make. Sad as it is, not all family members are able to be close; it is just not the same priority for everyone. When that is so, we must carry our loved one to God, pray for him, and be open for him to come back around if/when he is ready to love and be loved. And that means forgiving , not carrying a scorecard of all the ways he has hurt you.]

~>Finally, simply and most importantly, in considering a life with no regrets,

I must ask myself: where will be my final home?

When I used to go to my parents' big old house in Alameda,6 I walked through the back kitchen door; where no one was surprised to see me because I belonged there - it was my home. Mom and Dad expected me to come bounding up the back stairs, and they knew the sound of my voice because I was more than familiar.

When I see Jesus, I want him to know my voice too.

I don't want to be filled with excuses about why I hadn't talked to him in a while,

why I just couldn't get around to doing the things that please and honor him.

I want Jesus to know me and be expecting me.

Physically, relationally and spiritually, you and I can discipline ourselves by making great choices to honor God in our bodies, honor God by loving others and honor God by loving him. And then ... well, we probably will still have some regrets, but like Sinatra, maybe they'll be too few to mention because we did it His Way. Something to think about anyhow.

While I do not recall ever doing this before, I have chosen a mantra for 2026:

TO GOD BE THE GLORY. I can apply it to each of these areas, and when a decision is to be made, a judgment... I know which direction to go, 'will it honor God?'

Listen to this new song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI2w23Z6vqg&list=RDxI2w23Z6vqg&start_radio=1

-->>Oh, and one last thought about having no regrets -- I want to formally invite you to travel with me and my dear friend, Pastor Eric Laverentz in the Footsteps of Jesus Christ in May. This is not a 'bucket list' item, it is so much more than that! Do not miss out in making the pages of the Bible come alive in your life for the rest of your days, picturing our Lord in Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jerusalem - at Golgotha! Travel with Eric and me for the experience of a lifetime. The information for the trip: Footsteps of Jesus Flyer FPCE-2%5B91%5D.pdf

Dates: May 23 - June 1, 2026; Cost: $2,875 per person sharing a double-room

Private single room: +$1,010; $750; Deposit due by Jan. 16, 2026

limited availability. Final payment due April. 1, 2026

To register, please email footsteps@fpcedmond.org

Christine