Oxford Languages defines time as the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

My comments on how we spend time in some unrhymed sketches: TIME (1984) Some people throw it away. Some play with it. Some search for a better one. What do you do with yours?

It’s a short-lived commodity on earth. Not to squelch or squander.

Why can’t people learn through the lives of the Past?

‘They’ were here and now they’re gone.

They didn’t live forever, even though, like us, they thought they would.

Get away and hide in nature. Separate and examine yourself. Meet yourself: His workmanship.

A whisper. A vapor in time. Learn God’s will. He created you to include Him In all you do, but you’re choosing to ‘fiddle’ it away.

Realize your Maker, then grasp onto your time.

Having so little left—why can’t you realize it sooner to fulfill His purpose?

SUMMER SHOWERS (2006) Shut off the air. Open the windows like in the old days.

The swishing, blowing winds, pregnant with rains, Washing the air, filling with fragrance of dampening, warm earth.

Dart wildly or tread slowly in the slow drizzle and inhale earth’s sweetness.

You’re a part of all this as much as the knotted oaks, Drenched grasses and dew-dipped tiger lilies.

GOD’S TIMING (2006) My time just keeps ticking away, But I’m not to worry. It’s not my time but God’s So why think I must hurry?

God’s timing is so strange, We can’t comprehend it at all.

We walk in faith and work His will, And not question this, our call.

How hard sometimes it is not to see What He’s doing in using us.

We see no progress, no reason or sense, But only our fruitless fuss. We’ve got to understand He works so differently— Not from our whims or choices.

We spend time doing tasks that seem right Without leaning to hear Godly voices.

When we begin feeling it’s about over With a proverbial foot in the grave.

A ray of hope, a seed breaks forth, A lost soul learns to be brave.

WHAT NOW, LORD? (2010) I’m older than I’ve ever been Have slowed down quite a bit And just wonder whether The Lord still thinks I’m fit To do anything more for Him, To be any good…or Is something left at all of me: I’m asking from the core Of my being, I do question this.

It tugs at my heart so I’m not ready to ‘hang it up’ Cause I don’t know how to let go And leave the struggles of this world That has so little time left. Down deep I’ve learned a little bit To help and guide the bereft Who answers to this one and that Dear Lord, please use me now You’re surely not finished with me— If so, please let me know how I’m to go on and breathe and live Without helping a soul? Without departing anything?

Please warm this heart that’s cold.

RENEWED COMMITMENTS (2000) A new millennium has come Renewed commitments to begin.

New employees at SSC with us Are anxious to see how we fend.

Leadership has changed faces now.

Some vital cuts had to be made.

Let us not look to whine about But to concentrate on our trade.

Nothing worth doing runs smoothly Or should—as times are progressing.

Our ‘tried and true’ philosophies May need perhaps new addressing.

Faculty may now experience Suggestions as new leaders soar.

Stay always open for changes To be much better than before.

Are you ready? Make a difference.

New students’ challenges await.

They’re here to better their lives And do have so much at stake.

EVERYDAY PRAYER (2006) I pray, ‘Dear God, may I see you in everybody and everything.

And may everybody see you in me. Amen.’

Have a great week! I’d like to thank readers for encouraging me to keep writing. Next week, I will share some lines reflecting thoughts after surviving an extremely painful botched surgery in December 1996. Only now, can I say it seemed my life had been left in the hands of Larry, Curly, and Moe (the Three Stooges). But it wasn’t funny!

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