My Google Biography

"See what Google knows about Katie Gangemella.” These were the words that appeared in a little box on my laptop screen as I waited for my email to load. Of course I could not simply ignore it. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see what Google knows about them? Lucky for me there are very few people in the world with the last name Gangemella and so a few clicks and a couple seconds later I found myself reading what the world of Google apparently knew about me. This is what I found…A few mentions of basketball statistics from high school, some details about a harp performance and, of course, let’s not forget, my Facebook page. How nice.

Something my boyfriend often reminds me of when I start to stress over a project or a paper is that 20 years from now I will look back on my life and not remember the tests I took or the projects I completed, but the things God has done in my life, the people I love and the memories I made. He is so right (naturally). This brings me to the question that I sat at my desk pondering for a long while after reading my “Google biography.” What am I doing with that precious gift from God called my life? We only get one shot at living life and our time is limited. While that may seem like a depressing thought, it should really be a challenge. And this is not a challenge necessarily for you, but for me personally. I need this reminder that, as the Bible says my life is only a vapor that will soon vanish away. Whether we like it or not, that moment will come when we take our final breath. That is why it is so vital that we start now to live the life our God has called us to live.

“As for man, his days are as grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.” This verse from Psalm 103 reminds me of the phrase that may sound cliché, but is very true – life is short. I want to be changing, constantly moving, never satisfied with where I am in my journey towards becoming more like Christ. In the end I don’t want to be remembered for what I wore or how I looked, my GPA, or a list of accomplishments. I want to be that girl who is remembered for living a life that reflected upon her amazing Lord and what He has done. I don’t want to live with the goal of attaining temporal things that have no meaning. But instead, I want to live in a way that glorifies my God. I want to strive to seek after those things that have lasting, eternal value that will never fade away. . .

As the poet so beautifully put it: “Only one life, ‘twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last.”