Time in a Bottle


When I was a kid, I had a favorite restaurant.  It was called "Holly's Bistro", and I liked it for a couple of reasons:

1.  They were the first restaurant to have a salad bar.  It was magnificent, and their pewter plates were cold, while the bacon dressing was warm and delicious.

2.  They always had live music (some guy with a guitar), typically playing songs like "Sundown" and "Time in a Bottle".

This morning I was thinking about the lyrics from Time in a Bottle,

"If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do, is save every day til eternity passes away just to spend them with you..."

and two things came to mind.

First, last night Jim and I were watching some TV show where contestants were traveling the globe.  While watching we added a few more places to our "already crowded" bucket list with places like Spain, and Malta, China, Egypt, Paris, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland...

Then all of a sudden I realized - I'm 60!  The chance of me seeing all of these places is slim and gets smaller each year.  Each place I visit, represents an opportunity cost and I wish I'd started traveling sooner! 

I have known so many people who "put off" doing the things they really wanted to do in favor of collecting more money and doing more work because Satan is always whispering we'll have more time, and our "busy-ness" is critical.

But sadly, many of those same people DIED before they really got to LIVE.  

It makes me want to teach my kids the lesson - life is short.  You never know when it might end - so make sure you are enjoying the journey along the way, and not just working toward a "destination."

Secondly, the song talks about ETERNITY.  

We each have an ETERNITY waiting for us.  

So while we are focused on making sure we are living EACH DAY in this life, we should also remember to include things that honor the life God has prepared for us after we die, by making sure a percentage of our vacations and time off are spent serving others.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - John 10:10

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." - 1 Peter 4:10-11 





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