Time is the most valuable commodity that we have. With it we buy every aspect of our lives. From study time to family time, to the lazy afternoon at the beach, time buys it all.
Time and money are the commodities of life, but sadly too many of us think that money has the greater value of the two.
While we think of money and all it allows us to buy, dream about the lifestyle that piles of money in our bank account would allow us enjoy, we little realize that the most precious asset that we own is time. Without time a room full of gold and jewels would be of no value, it would offer us no worth.
It is only with time on our clock of life that we can think, grow, interact, and understand. It is only while we have a deposit of time in our account that we can stop and take a leisurely walk on the beach, pick up a book and read, learn a new language, enjoy a sunset, paint a mountain scene, give a hug to our loved ones, and the countless wonders that belong to the living.
Trust is one of those funny things in life that cannot exist except in the presence of trial, tribulation, and doubt. During times of peace, prosperity, and abundance we can claim we trust, we can say that we are confident. But surrounded by comfort, bathing in the soothing waters of excess, and enjoying the delightful strains of peace there is little room for fear or doubt.
Trust is only a word in times of peace, it has no real meaning until the storms of life threaten all that we hold dear.
Gliding down the still waters our hearts have nothing to faint at. No reason to reach out our perspiration drenched hands and hold onto the hands of another with all our might. Hoping and praying that our feeble grasp will not give or the arm above us grow tired.
But when the still waters fade and the deafening roar of the waterfall fills our hears with fear and our heart lunges inside our aching chest, that is when trust is revealed. That is when we reveal to one and all if our words of confidence in the unswerving promises of God are the overconfident prattle of the prosperous or genuine gold which they too should desire.
When, in the our of need we put our trust in God, we show the world that His promises are as good as gold and to be prized more than money.
In the hour of need, when everything we hold dear is at stake, that is when, by our actions, we preach our greatest sermon. In the testing fire of trial we can show to one and all, that even though our hands may shake and eyes fill with tears, the chord between heaven and earth is stronger than the hurricane of fear. That peace of heart is ours because we believe and trust the promises of the One who promised that He will hear our prayers and take care of our needs. And we show the world that the promises of God are worth more than all the gold and silver in this world.
For years I suffered from rounds of debilitating fatigue that would ground my life to a halt, days of miserable headaches so strong that I could barely tolerate the intense agony of opening my eyes, at times the slightest effort would leave me winded, and with an ever increasing need for ice water. Like an endless merry-go round I would enjoy a burst of energy that with each passing round slipped away faster and remained away longer.
Month after month the need for rest grew. Controlling more and more of time as I scheduled my whole life around the expectation that it was not a matter of if, but when the life-halting exhaustion would bring my world to a halt. Instead of attending my college courses in person I switched to only online classes that allowed me to work ahead so I could accomplish as much as I could and would allow me to get ahead if possible in my two to three working days before my body crashed for the rest of the week.
Have you ever heard the saying, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. In part that is true. There is so much about life that we cannot control. No matter how hard I wish, I cannot change my age, my height, the place I was born, or my genetic code.
From time to time life will hand us some pretty sour lemons. When it does, that is our time to seek the courage to make a glass of lemonade.
Sometimes even in areas where we think that we should have control, such as going to school and choosing a career. With our plans all laid out, our eye on the port of choice, we set sail. Certain that we will reach our dreams it never crosses our mind that other factors such as lack of money, family issues, and health can steal our plate of velvet cake and leave us holding a basket of sour lemons.
It is at that moments such as these, when life hands us our greatest disappointments, that our true character and ability to maintain happiness shines. It is at this crucial moment that we have a decision to make that will impact the course of our live. We can chose to take the easy road and let the wave of disappointment swallow us up and give into the urge to slip comfortably into the satisfying robe of self-pity and burry our head under the covers. Or we can decide to take our basket and make lemonade. To get out of bed and do something that will put a smile on our face and take the first step towards choosing happiness.
From my spot on the sofa I can watch the first dry summer breeze as it ripples through the leaves of the oaks in my backyard. A small family of red coated cardinals is playing tag in my neighbors yard while lazy marshmallow clouds decorate the crisp blue sky. In the distance I can hear the sounds of kids splashing in a pool while their watching parents talk with friends from the comfort of their shady porch.
It is summer and life is calling. Calling me to get up fertilize and weed my little backyard garden, to admire the saucer size peach and red hibiscus flowers, or to pick a pepper the size of my hand. Life is calling my name begging me to cut and sew a cool summer blouse, to reorganize my closet, to spend an hour at the gym, to try a recipe for blueberry pie, or curl up in a corner with my favorite book.
Energy, a six letter word meaning 1. thecapacityforvigorousactivity;availablepower: 2. anadequateorabundantamountofsuchpower(dictionary.com). Most of us take this six letter word for granted. Assuming that it has always been there when we need it, and will always be there when the situation demands. Merrily bouncing around without giving thought to just how important a role energy plays in our daily life. Never realizing that from the moment we open our eyes until the moment we go to bed we are using the precious resources of energy to do even the most mundane task such as blink, cough, hiccup, or breathe. Jumping out of bed we head straight into our favorite routines little realizing the debt of gratitude we owe to energy as it fuels our daily task, ensures our memories, and guards us from the drain of an unexpected squeal of brakes or unwanted surprise exam.
When I was a young child, if you had asked me where life’s road was going to take me without hesitation I would have confidently declared, to medical school. Before I had even entered the first grade, I knew that I wanted to become a doctor. A field trip to the lab where my Father worked only confirmed my decision as I looked up with awe at the neat rows of equipment that glowed like gleaming glass jars full of candy.
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