Always learning and teaching. . .

"The Lord won't take you until you've learned all you're supposed to learn and you've taught all you're supposed to teach." I remember a friend of mine saying those words a long time ago. At the time I felt very secure in this life because I knew for sure I had a LOT to learn yet. Back then, I guess I thought we each spent part of our time here learning, then the rest of it teaching what we had learned. In other words, by admitting my ignorance, maybe I had discovered the "secret" to controlling my own longevity. Since then, I've thought of my friend's words from time to time and have realized that, as in all things, the relevance is God's time--not ours. We never stop learning, even if we try. As for our teaching--neither is there a start or end to that. There is always learning and teaching left undone. Or so it seems. However, according to God's time--maybe not so much. His plan is perfect.

I'm thinking of someone I have known whose life wavers, right now, between this one and the next. I believe he epitomizes what it means to have lived a life that has been purposely and spiritually driven to teach what God's nudges have directed him to teach. There will be an irreplaceable void with his passing but the gift he leaves--everything he has taught--will live on through all those whose lives have interwoven with his.

There is something very special about a man whose favorite outfit apparently includes a "Grandpa" sweatshirt, lovingly decorated with hand prints in many sizes and various bright colors.

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When all else fails - laugh. . .

Oh, dear. It's one of "those days." The kind that feels like I'm tagging along behind myself, trying to catch up but never quite making it. I got up later than usual (for a Sunday) and couldn't seem to get out of "early morning" mode even though I knew better. I used added time doing extra little odds and ends around the house that really didn't need doing. Why, I have no idea. I was late meeting with choir before church. Then, as I was following along in the bulletin to keep track of the music line-up and even though I had done the typing, it was like I had never seen it before. That, coupled with my deteriorating hearing and the fact that it is a strain to hear from the choir loft to begin with, made for some tensely humorous moments.

At one point, I noticed one of the little portable hearing devices was handy so I thought I'd give it a try. A word of advice: Never stick one of those little pods in your ear without first checking the volume setting! Once adjusted, I have to admit, it is quite helpful. But only with what is being fed directly into the (primitive) sound system.

Oh, and I also totally forgot about it being Grandparents' Day. We were supposed to bring pictures and I very dutifully reminded everyone I saw, all week.

Then there's the organ, that (literally) keeps me on my toes. Or, at least keeps my mind on my toes. Some time ago, when playing a good ol' hymn in the key of F, quite to my dismay, I discovered the F pedal I wanted to use did not work. Until I caught on to what was happening (or should I say wasn't happening) there were big "holes" in the accompaniment. So now when I see key of F, I know I will have to calculate substitutions, depending on what the song is. Either that or I might choose to leave out pedals all together. Sometimes that's easier. Some days it's hard enough for me to keep track of what my hands are doing, let alone my feet.

Such was the case today. My mind was not entirely absent (I don't think) but it refused to make any correlation at all with what I was doing at any given moment. What concerns me is that I'm not finished for the day. I have several commitments yet that deserve my undivided attention. At least none of them require the use of my toes, specifically, so maybe I'll be able to "stay on them."

Life surely is an adventure. God is good. I'm especially thankful to know God not only grieves our heartaches along with us but also invites us to share the gift of humor. Oh, my! What ever would the world be like without laughter in it?

Deskwork. . .

This has been an odd sort of day. I'm not sure that I have even spoken all day. Maybe a rhetorical question here or there to the cat or dog. Are you hungry? Do you want to go out? Do you want to come in? I don't think I had any phone calls either. Well, one. But I'm not counting that since it was just a recorded political message.

I got up this morning, took a shower, put on make-up, styled my hair and picked out an outfit to wear. Then I sat down at my desk and began to tackle the summer's worth of paperwork and mail that has been accumulating since early June. And there I sat all day and into the evening. Just now, as I was taking off the make-up and changing out of the outfit I was wearing, I wondered why I had even bothered with all that. What was the point? Habit, I guess.

Thank God for online banking, automated bill paying and Quicken! But even they don't help with all that mail! I don't know why I feel obligated to open everything and at least look at it, even what I know is junk mail that I'll be throwing away. The wastebasket is overflowing. There's just a small pile on my desk to sort and prioritize tomorrow. It will feel good to be caught up again. Until the next time.

Excuses. . .

I have been mulling over today's message ever since this morning. This may seem like an odd statement given the fact that I really can't remember anything specific of what was said. A significant positive thought process has been initiated, however, that I know will be instrumental in my own personal enlightenment and spiritual growth. In my mind, a "good" sermon is one in which we grasp a truth we can readily identify, then expand and apply it until it becomes interwoven in our very being. I think the meaning (or essence) of words remains with us long after the words themselves are forgotten. Then again, maybe that's just my excuse for not remembering things.

That was the title of the message this morning: Excuses. There were, of course, some of the obvious examples given. But beyond that, I've been thinking about how our perception of any particular excuse changes to accommodate our own comfort level. In other words, our perception depends on whether we are on the giving or receiving end of the excuse. If we are really honest, we'll see that many of the "legitimate" excuses we give and the "flimsy" ones we receive are exactly the same.

These wise words come to mind: "UNDERSTAND before you ask to be UNDERSTOOD." (Easier said than done.)