Living OTE

I have a few close friends and family members who are living "On the Edge" (OTE). Living OTE can be good and bad. If you are OTE of disaster, depression, job loss, illness, financial ruin, and addiction it can be uncertain and unsettling. However, you can also live OTE of a new job, a wedding, the birth of a child, retirement, opportunities to serve others, dinner with old friends, vacation, visting family, etc. Those are OTE experiences to savor, crave, redeem and anticipate.

My take? Everyone lives OTE of something every day. Now we may not know it, ignore it, or deny it, but all of us are OTE of something. It could be good or bad. It could be profitable or costly. People who worry, control types, uptight and negative people have a lot of trouble living OTE. Optimists (not the club), laid back folks and those with a sense of humor seem to handle OTE experiences better than most.

This time last year, I was OTE of serious health challenges. It would be late February before I knew just how serious. Not long after, we had a graduation and wedding in our family so I was OTE of something good. Living OTE of something good is never fully appreciated unless you have lived OTE of darkness, fear and uncertainty. Perspective is a great teacher indeed. But we have to be willing to learn.

As we begin a new decade, I pray we will exercise peace, wisdom and faithfulness while living OTE of darkness. May it result in a heart of gratitude and deeper appreciation for those moments OTE that bring joy and laughter. Psalm 23 is a great example of someone who has figured out how to live OTE of darkness and goodness. What a great place to begin 2010!