Sad Words

You are probably familiar with these lines about sad words. "For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: 'It might have been!' ” (Maud Miller, John Greenleaf Whittier, 1807-1892) Francis Bret Harte's response to that, in Mrs. Judge Jenkins, is "More sad are these we daily see: 'It is, but hadn’t ought to be.' "

We may get caught in this sadness if we repeat to ourselves over and over, "If only . . . " When children play games, they sometimes extend grace to one another in the form of a do-over, offering another chance to do it right or at least better. Life seldom offers us do-overs, although many times an unlearned lesson is repeated in a somewhat different form; then if we are able to see the similarity and make some changes in our responses to the situation, we may see a happier outcome. Whether we get that opportunity or not, we aren't benefited with too much looking back and lamenting, "If only . . . If we are to enjoy the full use of our mental powers, we cannot re-live the past as if it were today.

It is equally sad to ruin our hopes for what lies ahead by fearfully wondering, "What if . . ." If we were to spend every waking hour imagining our future, we still could not consider every contingency; there are just too many variables. Unless we are actively solving a problem that is certain to present itself, we are borrowing trouble. Jesus reminded us not to do that with these words, "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:34) Try as we might, we cannot live the future as if it were today.

So that leaves us with the NOW. "Yesterday is history," someone has said. "Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift, and that's why it is called the present."

Live your present to the fullest!

MaryMartha

Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.
Quotes of Whittier and Harte from http://www.bartleby.com/100/439.html

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Ordinary Time

The Latin phrase, "Tempus Per Annum" ("time throughout the year") is rendered into English as "Ordinary Time." That is the term that the Catholic Church uses to designate the two periods of the year that are not connected to the season of Advent and Christmas or the season of Lent and Easter. The first period of ordinary time begins with the evening prayer of the first Sunday following Epiphany, January 6. Although this is not part of my faith tradition, I was struck by the expression itself.

Some sources say that Ordinary Time gets its name from the word "ordinal" meaning numbered, since the Sundays of ordinary time are expressed numerically on the liturgical calendar. But others suggest that Ordinary Time is better related to our word "ordinary," since so much of life feels ordinary indeed after the celebratory season, in this instance, of Christmas and the beginning of the New Year. There were high points in Jesus' ministry, related to us in the Gospels, but we may recall that much of Jesus' life was ordinary too. He worshipped on the Sabbath, "as was his custom." He walked until He was tired, and then He sat down to rest. He ate with common folks, even sinner-people both rich and poor. He went about simply "doing good."

There are some ways we can make these weeks until spring and the celebration of the Resurrection something other than just "ordinary."

8Keep a gratitude journal. Scientific studies show that people who "count their blessings" regularly are happier than those who do not. Once a day, write five things that you are thankful for; they don't have to be earth-shattering, perhaps as simple as a good cup of coffee or your ride coming on time. On Sunday, read the list aloud, saying before each one, "God, I thank you for . . . ," purposely focusing on God's provision, rather than on what you do not have.

8Act on your faith. Look for ways to be kind and generous. Think of the small things you can do today rather than the big ideas that can be conveniently put off until some other time! Mother Teresa said, “We cannot all do great things, but we can do small things with great love.”

8Read something of morally engaging value. During the seasons of special celebration, we become very busy and may not read much, but during ordinary days—especially in the winter months—we can take time to read what others have written about God and faith and the meaning of life. We don't have to agree with everything we read, and probably won't, but reading spiritually challenging literature is a good way to keep faith vibrant.

8Observe a day of rest and worship. If there are family members in the home, reserve some time with them. As with the other suggestions, this need not be elaborate. Just find something that makes this day special and save that activity for the day.

The weeks after Christmas until spring and Easter need not be a long boring stretch between the good stuff! It can be a time to try new things and refocus our energies on spiritual growth, becoming Exceptional and Rewarding Time rather than Ordinary!

MaryMartha

Information about Ordinary Time from www.churchyear.net and an article in Our Sunday Visitor online at http://www.osv.com by Woodeene Koenig-Bricker. Art from http://www.sxc.hu

Time Enough

Do you sometimes feel that your days are chopped up into tiny little pieces? All the things that call for your attention may make you feel as though you are being pulled in a great many directions all at once.

Perhaps there are many small—but urgent—tasks at work so that you cannot give your best energy to the one thing that requires special concentration. At home, there seem always to be interruptions that take you away from what you had planned and perhaps desperately need to do. Maybe there is in your life a friend or family member who, for the hundredth time, demands your immediate response. Some of our days just refuse to flow with easy grace. They unravel around the edges and get ragged. We try to stitch them together, but the seams show.


"I don't have time for that," we lament. "If I just had more time . . ." The truth is—and we've heard it often—we all have the same amount of time. Sixty minutes in an hour, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. That is enough, although we often feel the pressure that comes from trying to wring something extra out of our allotment. The Irish have a wise old saying: "When God made time, He made plenty of it." That echoes what was said by the wisest man ever. "Those who are wise will find a time and a way to do what is right, for there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble." (Ecclesiastes 8:5, 6) The time we have is enough, or else we shall have to accuse God of cheating us out of something we need!

God created time. He rolled eternity up on one side and everlasting up on the other, and into the chasm between the two, He dropped time. He placed us in it, limiting what we know and what we can accomplish to just that little span of our lifetimes. We feel so strong about our limitations, however, that we sometimes see time as an enemy. It has changed the way we feel about some people, or how they feel about us. It has taken its toll on our health or on that of someone we care about. Time has robbed us, we think, of opportunities that are now lost. Time has just about worn us out with waiting for some things to become what we have hoped for; it has made impossible the changing of some things that are into what we wish they were. Time sometimes seems like an inexorable foe, marching relentlessly on us.

But time is the stuff that life is made of, and life is a gift, measured out to us one "now" at a time. God can help us be wise, so that we will find a time and a way to do what is right!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Never Late

In a world of fast food, high-speed travel, and almost-instant communication, we rather expect God too to act quickly on our behalf! The Creator of days and nights, months and years, views time somewhat differently than we earth creatures do, so that our expectation of His timely help may be skewed. Oh yes, we believe He is going to take care of the situation, but when? "On time" for us often translates to "now," and that may not be how God sees the situation at all.

The prophet Jeremiah sent a long letter to the captive Israelites, assuring them of God's continued care and His eventual deliverance for them. One verse from that passage is a favorite of many people: " 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) Well then, let's see those plans unfolding now, the prosperity now, the hopeful future now!

That was not God's way. Before the wonderful promise we often quote, this caution is written, "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." (Jeremiah 29:10, 11 MSG) Not a day before God's time was right would there be the answer the people longed for. Not a day before God has completed His wise preparation will we see Him show up to take care of us as He promised.

As I was growing up, I often heard ministers and evangelists expound on God's faithfulness by saying, "God is never late, although He's seldom early." It often takes awhile—most of a lifetime, perhaps—for us to learn that is how He works. The Psalmist said, "My times are in Your hand." Indeed, the entire great expanse we call "time" is held by God, so we can absolutely trust Him with the tiny piece of it that concerns you and me.

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture marked MSG is taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Believing and Becoming

A charming four-year-old of my acquaintance recently told her mother, "Mommy, when I grow up, I want to be a black man."

"Honey," the mother replied, "you're a little girl, and little girls grow up to be ladies. When you grow up, you'll be a lady, not a man."

"Oh. Well, then I want to be a black lady."

Mother gently explained to her fair-skinned child, "Honey, when you grow up, your skin will be pretty much just like it is now. You can't be a black lady."

"Oh." The child paused. "Well, then I'll just be an elephant!"

We are told that "if you can imagine it, you can achieve it." Does merely imagining something guarantee that it's within the realm of possibility? Obviously, the answer is sometimes no. But it is true, that if we are in fact going to become something, we must first believe it. By the time she is, say, twelve years old, the little girl will have set her sights on some other more reasonable ambition, and I have no doubt that she will believe it and achieve it

There aren't really any "secrets" to becoming who we want to be. Successful people have shared what they have discovered, and not too surprisingly, one of the things frequently mentioned is "hard work." Dreaming is not enough, although I believe in dreaming. It takes determination, preparation, sacrifice, dedication to the task, learning from failure, and usually it takes time. Famous people in spheres of work that vary from actor or journalist to movie producer or model have told us it takes a good many years to become an "overnight success." Sometimes, in our eagerness to convey confidence to our children or our students and mentorees, we underplay the price of achievement. Jesus did not make that mistake.

Jesus made it very clear that following Him would entail some cost. Sometimes, especially in the first flush of enthusiastic commitment, Christians mistake personal ambition for God's leading. When they find that the pathway to influence is not necessarily the same as the road to fame or power, they become discouraged. "If you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’ " (Luke 14:27-30) Very often, the follower of Jesus experiences the cost of discipleship with little distinction or financial gain—just the knowledge that he/she has faithfully carried the cross. If we believe that's a goal worthy of our pursuit, we can become a truehearted disciple.

MaryMartha

Related posts: I Have a Dream
Don't Give Up the Dream

The quote, "If you can imagine . . ." is from William Arthur Ward, known for his inspirational writings.
Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Take Time to Wait

Time is a precious, limited personal resource. There is no substitute for it, and it is non-renewable commodity. Although we talk about “saving time,” we cannot accumulate it in an account somewhere to be withdrawn later. We speak of “losing time” or “killing time,” but we can’t really do that either, because it regularly just keeps appearing and disappearing. We are urged to “make time,” but that is clearly impossible.

What we are able to do is arrange it, utilize it, profit from it, enjoy it—or we can fail to prioritize its use, idle it away, not recognize its value, consider it a liability. The Bible urges us to redeem the time. “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside [not part of the Church], redeeming the time.” (Colossians 4:5 NKJV) Sadly, many of the modern translations render this as making the most of opportunities, but the use of “redeem” is significant. The Greek word means to buy up something out of the market so as to make a profit from it. When we buy something, we have to give up something—money, labor, whatever meets the seller’s price. Redeeming time, then, implies that we have to determine what is worth giving up in order to release the time for something we consider more valuable.

Because we place such importance on time, we often feel that waiting is a useless waste of it. I’m not talking about waiting for a slow-moving freight train to clear the intersection, or waiting for our turn in the doctor’s office—although those occasions do not have to be spent aimlessly either. I am thinking of waiting for the time to be right for our taking a certain action, waiting for circumstances to be readied for the opportunity we need, waiting for God to do something! We get frustrated and impatient, because according to our schedule, things should have been done yesterday!

Perhaps we need to re-think waiting, not as a waste of time, but as an investment. Jesus was trying to explain the Kingdom to His listeners in the synagogue. "How can I picture God's kingdom? It's like yeast that a woman works into enough dough for three loaves of bread—and waits while the dough rises." (Luke 13:20, 21 The Message) Quietly, slowly, but very dependably, the “starter” that the homemaker mixes with the other ingredients works its way throughout the dough. She does not try to hurry it by beating it; she does not give up and throw the mess out. She waits while something happens inwardly.

Much of our waiting for help, for opportunities, or for answers can be experienced as inner growing time. It is not to be ignored or scorned or hurried. We can redeem (buy back) the waiting time by giving in exchange our anxieties, our preconceived ideas, and our desperate haste. Then we will see Kingdom values permeate the whole of our lives, a result well worth the wait!

MaryMartha
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Scripture marked NKJV taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture marked The Message taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Summer and Winter, Day and Night

The days are noticeably shorter now that we have passed the summer solstice, the day in June when there are the greatest number of hours between sunrise and sunset. Autumn will soon be here, followed by winter. Spring will come, and then summer again. We can count on it, and that is a marvelous thing!

What if the Kansas farmers decided to plant rice instead of winter wheat, but still hoped for a harvest in June? What if the tomato seedlings we set out this summer suddenly changed their growth habit and needed to be in a cool, shady spot? What if polar bears suddenly appeared in Iowa and flamingoes migrated to Antarctica? How confusing!

The earth, in spite of concern about the changes occurring, is still quite orderly. God made it so, and that was specifically for our benefit. After the great flood that destroyed all living things except Noah’s family and the creatures on the ark, God said to Himself, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." (Genesis 8:22 NIV) Did God need that promise to Himself so as to keep His power under control? No, it was for us. We need that order. We need the structure in our lives of sunrise and sunset and the turning of the seasons. The alternating of day and night is not the same everywhere, nor is the progression of the seasons. The North and South Poles have long, long nights and then long days. Some places on earth have a rainy season followed by a dry one; some have a warm or blazing hot season and then cool or absolutely frigid. All are alike in having some measurements along the way as time passes. Even destructive abnormalities of weather have some predictability: We have tornado season, hurricane season, dry forest-fire season.

Here in the Midwest, “I’ll be glad when it’s not so hot,” is followed soon enough by, “I wish we’d get past this terrible, cold weather.” That’s just it: we can depend on the orderly progression of the earth’s time indicators. They testify to us of God’s care for His creation!

Scripture quoted from The New International Bible is used by permission.

MaryMartha
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Email: mrymrtha@gmail.com

Three Little Lambs

I have three tiny little lambs on the top of my computer desk, given to me by a good friend. They remind me while I am working that there are other things in life besides work, even though I find that interesting and rewarding.

One little lamb is just lying there, looking relaxed and pleasant. She doesn’t appear to be anxious about where to graze next or following the flock somewhere or anything else. She’s resting.

I used to think sleeping was a waste of time. It took quite a few years for me to realize that life is supposed to have rhythm, and if I disregard any of its aspects too greatly, I will pay in almost every other area. “He makes me lie down in green pastures,” the Psalmist wrote. (Psalm 23:2) That tells me that God expects me to stop my activity sometimes, and just rest.

But more may be happening with this little lamb than just resting. A sheep is among the group of animals called ruminants. Part of her stomach is a large storage area for food that she has consumed quickly, then later regurgitates, re-chews, and re-swallows in the process called cud-chewing. Rumination or cud-chewing is done mostly when the animal is resting and not actively eating. Healthy mature sheep may chew their cud for several hours each day.

Part of the rhythm of my life, I’ve learned, needs to be “ruminating”: thinking, dreaming, planning, pondering Scripture and what I have read elsewhere, processing the events of my days. The meaning of things escapes me if I only take in (graze) and never make time to think (chew the cud). So when I am quiet for several hours, I may be resting or I may be ruminating. (And you’ll never know which!)

The next little lamb has her eyes closed and little hoofs folded—well anyway, they’re together. I think she’s praying. She has a serious expression on her face, but it doesn’t look like worry. She must know that she has a Good Shepherd who is watching out for her and knows all of her concerns.

I know I’ll never learn all there is to know in the realm of prayer, but it’s something like breathing. I don’t have to know all the technicalities of my respiratory system in order to breathe satisfactorily. James Montgomery wrote in the words of a hymn, nearly two centuries ago, “Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath, the Christian’s native air.” When I’m short of breath, I get anxious, and likewise when I get anxious, I grow short of breath. Pretty much like praying! Sometimes I know I need to breathe more deeply, or I need fresher air. Sometimes prayer too takes extra attention and effort.

The third lamb is grinning and kicking up her heels. She is ready for play—a game of hide-and-seek or tag, or maybe just a run through the pasture. She is the one who has the most to teach me!

I grew up with a strong work ethic: “Finish your work first and then play.” This served me well during my years of schooling and early in my career. But as I grew older, I found myself with so much to do that when I worked first, I often never got around to doing the other things I wanted to do like reading, or needlework, or gardening, or taking a class. I don’t think it’s necessarily a good idea to play first, but I am learning to leave some time for “kicking up my heels.” Robert Fulghum (author of All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten) had good advice for balancing life: learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. He just may have three little reminders on the top of his computer desk too.

MaryMartha

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email: mrymrtha@gmail.com