Shade Tree Wisdom 5/28/08

Pleasant morning for walking, and my stress test results turned out just fine, so the doctor said “Keep walking and doing what you have been doing, and we’ll see you a year from now.” I thank God for that report, and did my walking this morning. Though late yesterday it sounded as if a major storm was moving our way, but all we had was some wind and a bit of rain.

But my scheduled appointment did remind me of time. A precious commodity, isn’t it? And, I was going to say, “as usual’ the doctor was late for the appointment. Like many, I come prepared and take reading matter along to help pass the time.

By the way, did you know if you check ‘time’ on the internet and check Official US Time, the time for your Zone appears accurate to within 2 seconds? Interesting.

But back to time. Ecclesiastes says, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven” 3,1. There is even a suggestion about clutter when it remind us there is “a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away” v.6.

But time. How it passes for different ages. You’ve all heard the plaintive “are we there yet” from the back seat when on a driving trip? And for a child waiting for Christmas, time passes slowly, while for the mother with her preparations under way, the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the cleaning, the writing cards and mailing them, the decorating and getting ready, there simply isn’t enough time and it just rushes by.

A quote attributed to Albert Einstein reads: “Time is what separate cause and effect”.

My life often dwelt on time. Classes at college and seminary started on time, and most late comers were noted. Church started on time, for several reasons. One was to honor those who were there, and the other was to make the point that God is important in worship life.

So time, “There is time there for every purpose and for every work”. Eccl 3,17. I have found it so, and lately when someone disappoints me, I simply use that time for study or reading instead of fuming. And the Lord is there all the time, for He has promised, “I will be with you always, even to the end of the earth”. Bess the day.

GPD 5/28/08