CONSIDER TIME!
Growing up poor and becoming comfortable with what you have is letting God give you the satisfaction of life itself. I love life! I love going back in my memory and remember how I grew up and where I am today. Time is a healer of all wounds and time is an element given by God to be used whether in days of old or today. I know that sounds like I am a profound thinker, but I am not! I live in the present but I remember the past. I look forward to tomorrow by making plans, but if things don't pan out the way I planned, well that's the way it goes. Jim and I have always made plans. Some were short term and some were far reaching into the future. Many plans materialized but I would have to say that many did not. That doesn't discourage me! However, it would have been fun! But I am okay where I am. How about you!

I have heard it said; "Time waits for no man!" Now, what does that mean? How about; "Time marches on!" I suppose because time marches on, it doesn't wait for anyone. Many little projects would be on my agenda, but I would put it off. Then I would sigh with; "Oh well, there's tomorrow." Tomorrow would come and eventually I would realize I never did get that done. Time seems to get away from us doesn't it?

When children come along you put your lives on hold so you can watch them grow and to encourage them. Many times, our projects included the children not because they wanted it that way but because we wanted them to be a part of whatever we were doing. When Dan and Jennifer went off to Bible College, Jim and I found ourselves right in the middle of the 'empty nest syndrome'. Just as we became accustomed to it, they returned home!

During the time they were gone we could have done whatever we wanted but we didn't take the time! Even though time is what we had! However, we were so happy to have them back in the nest it didn't seem like we had missed anything except them.

God has promised us that we would have time to do all the things He wants us to. I know we think that we just don't have time for a lot of God's things because we work and then have a family to care for or we are invovled in the children's after school activities or we just have so many things to do that someone else will have to do the God things.

In 1992, I read; "I have all the time I need, to do all the things God wants me to, in 1992!" Every year after that Jim and I would try to reword that to fit each year. "To do His work, God has given me just enough time, in 2009!"

Time is relative! Many make a schedule to make better use of their time. I keep track of appointments and thing I want to remember on my day calendar. Does that mean I get every thing I have noted down, done? No! It just means I need a prompt to help me to remember appointments. As you get older, time becomes important. It goes faster than it did when I was 10. It goes slower when I am in a hurry!

I have a clock in every room and I wear a wrist watch. It would be good if our stomachs could work on it's own clock; When I rise I am hungry! In the middle of the day I am hungry! Come evening I am hungry! However, I look at my clock and say; It is time for breakfast! I better stop for lunch! It's 5:00 pm, dinner time! Sometime before bed, I might eat again!

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" Ephesians 5:15-17 I love the time I spend working on these little devotional thoughts. I love the time I spend in fellowship with fellow Christians! I love the time in church worship! I love the time when I walk and talk with the Lord! I love life, don't you? Taking the time to smell the roses is exactly why God gave them to us. Be alive, live long and prosper! Jane Ann