THROWING IT ALL AWAY

Observation
"He who neglects the present moment throws away all he has." That observation by Johann Friedrich von Schiller, a great German historian and playwright, holds much truth for all of our lives.

Early one morning fire broke out in a house on a narrow street. The fire spread quickly, and flames were leaping high into the air before the fire engines could get to the scene.

A young man appeared at an upper window in his pajamas. Firefighters quickly placed a ladder against the burning building, but the man refused to come down. Instead, he yelled that he had to get dressed first. The firefighters pleaded, "Come as you are! Come as you are!, but to no avail.

The firefighters tried to climb the stairs from below, but they were turned back by the flames. When a rescuer tried to enter through a lower window, the heat and smoke forced him away.

Suddenly the walls and roof fell in. The man waited too long, and was buried under the ruins.

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

The man refused to immediately do what was best for himself because of what someone might say about his appearance later. Thus, the young man literally threw his life away.

We can make the same foolish mistake. I read about an experiment in which a rat was placed in a box and shocked until it huddled in a particular corner. To avoid future shocks, the rat soon learned to run to that corner as soon as it was placed in the box.

How much of your life is spent avoiding the disapproving "shocks" of those around you? Do you disregard your own beliefs, and compromise who you are as a person, so others will like you?

That is easy to do, especially in matters of faith. Many people do not live according to their beliefs because they are concerned about what others will think or say. If that includes you, then in effect you are throwing away the most significant part of yourself--your spiritual life.

Instead of trying to become someone others will like in the future, focus on God's love for you right now. Live each day according to God's standards, no matter how people may react. Because some things are too important to throw away--including yourself.

DON'T WAIT TILL IT'S TOO LATE

This one comes as a gentle but poignant and pertinent challenge for 1999 for those of us who are travelling on itineraries. May we take time for our families this year as "A time to love...." - Ecclesiastes 3:8a.

Thomas Carlyle lived from 1795 until 1881. He was a Scot essayist and historian. During his lifetime he became one of the world's greatest writers. But he was a human and humans make mistakes.

On October 17, 1826, Carlyle married his secretary Jane Welsh. She was an intelligent, attractive and somewhat temperamental daughter of a well-to-do doctor. They had their quarrels and misunderstandings, but still loved each other dearly. After their marriage, Jane continued to serve as his secretary.

After several years of marriage, Jane became ill. Being a hard worker, Carlyle became so absorbed in his writings that he let Jane continue working for several weeks after she became ill. She had cancer, and it was one of the slow growing kind. Finally, she became confined to her bed. Although Carlyle loved her dearly, he very seldom found time to stay with her long. He was busy with his work.

When Jane died they carried her to the cemetery for the service. The day was a miserable day. It was raining hard and the mud was deep. Following the funeral Carlyle went back to his home. He was taking it pretty hard.

He went up the stairs to Jane's room and sat down in the chair next to her bed. He sat there thinking about how little time he had spent with her and wishing so much he had a chance to do it differently. Noticing her diary on a table beside the bed, he picked it up and began to read in it. Suddenly he seemed shocked. He saw it. There, on one page, she had written a single line.

"Yesterday he spent an hour with me and it was like heaven; I love him so."

Something dawned on him that he had not noticed before. He had been too busy to notice that he meant so much to her. He thought of all the times he had gone about his work without thinking about and noticing her.

Then Carlyle turned the page in the diary. There he noticed written some words that broke his heart.

"I have listened all day to hear his steps in the hall, but now it is late and I guess he won't come today."

Carlyle read a little more in the book. Then he threw it down and ran out of the house.

Some of his friends found him at the grave, his face buried in the mud. His eyes were red from weeping. Tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He kept repeating over and over again,
"If I had only known, if I had only known."

But it was too late for Carlyle. She was dead.

After Jane's death, Carlyle made little attempt to write again. The historian said he lived another 15 years, "weary, bored and a partial recluse."

I tell the story with the hope that you will not make the same mistake. While our loved ones must have the money we make to live, it is the love we have that they really want. Give it now before it is too late.

by Kathleen Kuntaraf

THANKS FOR VISITING! GOD BLESS YOU!

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