(Edited at the completion of the week)

60 - ounces of Vault consumed tonight
325 - milligrams of caffeine contained in said Vault
78 - windows cleaned today
17 - pieces of pizza eaten tonight
42 - number of hours worked this week as of tonight
20 - number of anticipated work hours remaining
62 - total number of anticipated work hours this week
66 - total number of hours worked this week

No one really knows why window cleaners are reported to make so much money. No one really understands that high-risk jobs are also typically high-reward jobs. Well... let me give you a few illustrations. I was on a roof similar to this one, yesterday... only, minus the snow.



Pretty steep, eh?

Just in case you missed the point... one more picture of the same slope.




Now isn't that festive?

Let me tell you... human beings were NOT designed to walk on slopes like this. Mountain goats don't even mess with slopes like this!

But... there were skylights that had to be cleaned. And the money was good enough for it to be worth the risk. (The funny thing is... the money is good enough, as long as you DON'T fall and die. If you do fall, what will your money do for you then???)

So... I was on this roof... desperately gripping the skylight with one hand, squeegeeing it with the other hand... when my cell phone started buzzing in my pocket. It startled me, and I kind of flinched. My right foot slipped... and I dropped down on one knee on the roof.

Knees don't have very good traction.

All that was holding me up was my fingers gripping the skylight with all their might. I asked them very nicely (I actually said it out loud, lol) "Please don't let go..."

Finally regained my footing... and looked over the edge. Eh... only 20 or so feet to the ground. No biggie. Ha. Right. Oh, and only 2 more skylights to wash.

After regaining my footing (all of this happened in like three seconds) I got back to my ladder and read the text. It was from Brandon. He was getting tired driving home, and wanted to talk to me on the phone, so he wouldn't fall asleep and die. I texted him back something like "Working. Sorry. Call if you can't get anyone else." Somehow I neglected to inform him that he had almost been the death of ME. (So, Brandon, if you're reading this... now you know.)

There was a moral to the story, of course. I spent the rest of the afternoon (most specifically, the rest of my time on the roof) pondering how I wanted to be remembered, if I died.

I decided that I want to be known as a good big brother to Thomas, Jennifer, Jamie, Jessie, Lauren, Sam, John, Courtney, and Jake.

I want to be remembered as a son who "brings joy to his father" (Proverbs 10:1) and who honored his mother.

I want to be remembered as a hard worker.

...as a faithful servant of Christ.

...as a person who encouraged and challenged those to whom he was closest, who spurred them on to greater things.

I want to be known as someone who cared for the lost, loved the saints, and lived every moment for the glory of Christ.

What do you want to be known as? How do you want others to remember you? You don't get to write the words on your own tombstone... what do you want written about you?

And... what do you need to do, in order to see to it that that's how you're remembered? Because, in a way, you DO get to write the words on your tombstone. You carve them out with every decision you make, every word you say, and every thing you do. Choose wisely... one day some skylight may be your last.