There is a time for everything; and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,

a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,

a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,

a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,

a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.”

–Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“Consider how your days might change if you viewed time as a gift”.  I think too often I view time as the bad guy.  I am a dreamer and a free-spirit who does not like to be ruled by plans and schedules all the time.  I’m not great at getting everything checked off my “to do” list, so sometimes I feel like time is not on my side.  So, these words I read in my feast-for the- eyes Magnolia magazine struck a chord with me.  Time is a precious commodity that must be treated with care rather than ignored or wasted away. 

This has been a one of a kind season—a global pandemic- where time has stood still at moments—-where it seemed locked up and unable to breathe.  Time was holding our lives captive; and yet, time was also simultaneously bringing us freedom.  Freedom to try new things, freedom to put family first, freedom to turn to our creator more, and freedom to live in a different rhythm.

But, death steals time from our grasp and puts things in a deeper perspective.  I recently lost my dear Auntie Wynema and Uncle Robert within two months of each other.  They were like second parents to me and my sisters. These over 50 years long lovebirds left an amazing legacy of unconditional love, generosity, tradition, savoring and creating FUN memories, and working hard.  They did not waste time.  They relished and soaked up every second of the time they were given.  I want to live like this. 

I have so many fond memories of times at their house; trips to Havasu; endless car rides; shopping dates; dinner dates; lunch dates; impromptu frozen yogurt dates; perusing People magazine sitting at their dark oak, square kitchen table always covered in mail; maroon textured placemats; and a yellow lined notepad or tv remote.
Gosh, I loved sitting at this table while Auntie was preparing things in the kitchen or just sitting next to me talking.  I loved eating meals at this table across from Uncle.  Oh, how my dear uncle loved food and always had a special way he liked to eat his meals.  He loved having sides of things.  His favorite was a side of lemon wedges.  Always the lemons.  At home from his lemon tree or whenever he went out to eat.  God bless the lemons.  I seriously think of him when I see lemons. 

I honestly feel like those lemons were symbolic of how they lived their lives.  They enjoyed the sides and the extras.  Auntie and Uncle could make the sourest of lemons into the sweetest tasting lemonade.  Time was definitely not wasted with these two.

How can we behold the beauty of the here and now? Maybe a way to help us do that is by realizing that we will always live in the tension of the “now and the not yet”.  Maybe if we keep our feet on the earth and our eyes focused on heaven, we can see the beauty better.  I received my copy of the pictured Magnolia journal in the mail the same day as the sympathy card for the loss of my beloved auntie and uncle.  This is the world we live in—–the beauty and the pain coinciding.  The joy and the sorrow walking alongside one another on broken, well-worn, dusty paths.  Embracing one another and remembering that nothing under the sun is wasted. 

Enjoy the gift of time today, my friends!