Life's too short...

Fox News provides the background noise in the room just now--pundits wagging on about the upcoming election. Thankfully, the echoes in my head are of something far lovelier that has transported me beyond the mundane--Mercy practicing cello in her room. She remarked earlier, "Mom, I'm actually going to practice cello--I have meant to practice all week."

Good intentions. I think of all I've done today, this week, this month, this year, and all I've left undone that I meant to do. The day, the week, the month, the year are drawing to a close. It's Friday, the last day of October with daylight savings time helping us 'fall back' tomorrow night in an effort to give us a little more 'time' each day. Where does time go? It disappears like the mist on the mountains as the sun rises. Now I'm young, anticipating life with its sweet mysteries yet to be unveiled; then, the noonday sun beats down, the middle of life far too busy to count the passage of days; and now I'm old or at least no longer viewing it in the far distance as the sun starts to slip lower on the horizon, still bright but casting long shadows before my dimmed eyes.

There are only two months left of this year. Where did the year go since its first momentous event, that of Joseph Charles Morecraft, V, "Charlie's" birth on his Uncle Grant Scarborough's birthday in January? Suddenly, tomorrow is November. My seventh grandbaby is due in a few days, Joe's knee replacement and recovery for several weeks following which will take us into Christmas or beyond...2008 will be history before we can envision it. We will have a new president, new crises to confront, new prayer requests, new sins to confess, new griefs to confide, new joys to express... life is unalterably short, especially for those of us who are on the downhill slide of the equation.

The Bible has a lot to say about the brevity of life; in particular the verse, "Redeem the time for the days are evil," comes to mind this election season. This verse encourages me to make the most of each day--I can't change one single person I know, but I can change myself where I'm convicted change is needed. Although I am tempted to live in regret for what is left undone, I may not waste valuable energy doing so if I can, but must learn from my sins and mistakes and continue the arduous task of re-prioritizing my time every day.

I pledge tonight, the last day of October, 2008, to try to remember that life is a gift, every second of it. I recommit to arising with a song of praise to God on my lips each morning, asking Him to use me in any way He sees fit to bring Him glory. That's all I need. That's enough...