| Psalm 121:1 – “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; From where shall my help come? “ |
Last Saturday, I was home all day. I had a few minutes and I worked on clearing off our computer desk in our bedroom. Junk accumulates over time, and it was out of hand. I found an envelope full of photos. They were given to me by my cousin Starr while I was attending my cousin Benji’s funeral. I was so glad to see all my extended family there.
Starr had been sorting through her father’s things. He passed a couple of years ago. She found pics of my family on the occasion of my parents’ 50th anniversary party. Her dad (my dad’s brother) was there with his camera, and he took a bunch of photos. I stopped cleaning off the desk and scanned each one of them so I could email them to my mother and 3 brothers. I was taking a closer look at them, and something hit me.
The year was 2002, and I am still wearing the shirt I had on in the pictures. 22 year old shirt. And I acquired it a couple of years before the pictures were taken. So, when I go to iron my shirts, I have a bunch of them. Last month, I weeded out three of them with worn collars. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it. What can I say? My clothes last, like the energizer bunny. And I keep on wearing them. They become dear friends to me in a way.
Oh well. I actually threw away some extra hardware the other day. My wife bought some strip lights, and there were parts I didn’t use. Screws and such. I have spent my whole life saving things for some purpose, but that time has not yet come. It may come from being raised by Great Depression era parents. My dad told many times about using a rope as a bicycle tire, as rubber was scarce during WWII. Fuel was rationed. Chewing gum foil was saved. Nothing was discarded. That is foreign to us in this day.
I enjoyed learning about the native Americans of the plains, how they used every part of the bison. Nothing was wasted. My biggest wastefulness is my time. I am working on that. This thing I carry in my pocket. It is frightening to me to see people everywhere I go, staring at the little screen. I want to do that less.
David wrote “I will lift up my eyes to the mountains . . .” I need to spend more time looking up. Father in heaven, help me to use my days in Your service, in Jesus’ name, Amen!
– Jeff Beall
