I want to live, thank you.

We were 13,500 feet above the surface of the earth in an airplane that resembled little more than a metal can with indoor/outdoor carpet on the floor. No seats. No friendly flight attendants offering $3 beverages. No pressurized cabin or in-flight movie. Just an opening on the side that was the size of a single-car garage door.

There was a tap on the shoulder, a 3-count, and then…

When I decided to go skydiving, a friend of mine asked me if I was going through some kind of midlife crisis. It was an understandable question. But I wouldn’t say that’s what my freefall from the sky was about. It was more the product of a realization.

The last few years I’ve begun to see more and more that I’ve only been given one life. Sure, I’ve always had an intellectual awareness of that fact. We all do. But through several circumstances and situations, I’ve really begun to see that life is a gift. And I’ve started to ask myself if I’m making the most of it.

As I sit here looking at all that God has blessed me with, I have to wonder: have I done all I can to thank him for it? I mean really thank him. Not just with words, but with actions.

We would all admit that it’s important to say “Thank you.” But I believe the true essence of thanks is found in action. It’s when we appreciate something so much that we are willing to squeeze every drop out of it.

In his first letter to the Thessalonians, the apostle Paul challenged them, “…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

In everything. Not just in words, but in actions as well. In other words, we’re to make the most out of life.

Think of a hot summer day. You’ve just walked inside after hours of doing yard work. And there on the counter is an ice-cold glass of clear, refreshing water. And standing next to it is your wife, smiling. Of course you say “thank you.” But you don’t stop there. You pick up the glass and gulp it down. You don’t take a little sip, nod your head and then walk away. You enjoy every single drop.

Am I saying that the only way to show appreciation for life is to strap a parachute to your back and jump from 2.5 miles above the earth? No! But I think we do need to ask ourselves, “What am I doing to show my appreciation for this life?”

Are we simply trying to skate by, looking at each day as something we have to endure? Or are we looking to attack every moment as voraciously as we can and show others that what God has given us is a precious gift to be thoroughly enjoyed?

I don’t want to just say “thank you.” I want to live, thank you.