Marking Time

Marking time... to do something which is not very interesting while you are waiting to start doing something more important.

If you can't tell, I like definitions, quotes and idioms. This one bothers me. Mainly because I see myself do it a lot. Unfortunately, when you have a warped view of what's important, you will unknowingly "mark time" with things and people that should be important to you. Sometimes I find myself doing that before I leave for work in the evenings. Not really doing much, watching tv, sitting outside, etc., waiting for the timer on my alarm to say get up and go to work. How much time did I just waste that I could have been talking to my wife, checking on the kids or at least playing with that new puppy that drives me insane begging for attention all the time? Instead, I sometimes just mark time until it's time to start "doing something important."

You've seen it. Kids mark time at school till it's time to go home and "do something really important" like play video games or email their friends. It affects all of us. Preparing dinner, laundry or whatever until we can have time to do something "really important." These everyday things are not the important things. It's the special events that keep us happy and until then we're just marking time doing the basic stuff.

But I wonder how many counseling sessions are made up of people saying, "my parents never took me to Disneyland or Six Flags over Texas"? Isn't the line usually, my dad never sad he loved me, my mom never showed me affection, etc. Special events are important and they make moments... but it's the everyday things that make a life worth living.

Then I wonder how much of that has rolled into my Christian walk. Is Heaven so important that we're just living life here, marking time until the Rapture or death or something important comes along? I think of this song by Michael Card...

"Could You tell me why
Was it for this You came and died
A once a week observance

When we coldly mouth Your words

Are we really saving our energy for heaven or has church become a place where we mark time and check off our spiritual "things to do list?" Do we live for the conferences or the next "mighty move of God" while forgetting to love our neighbor, visit the sick, share our daily bread, love our family, etc.? Maybe we're just marking time, living for the bell.

Dear God, forgive me for marking time with this life you have given me. Family and friends, please forgive me for marking time with you. I won't say, "if I have ever" because I know I have. And I repent of that sin.

So look around and see. Have you been marking time like me?

Angelic Adventures!

Outside of the Random Ramblings, few people know it, but I write two other blogs. Both are fictional non-fiction about angelic adventures.

"The Misadventures of Rambling John", which I've been writing for a few years, is a collection of stories in the vein of Screwtape Letters (C.S. Lewis) about a worldly-wise demon and his constant confrontations with angelic hosts, believers and the world around him.This is the link for Rambling John http://ramblingjohn.blogspot.com/

"The Adventures of Goodness and Mercy"is about two angelic beings dedicated to search and rescue. "Surely Goodness and Mercy will follow you all the days of your life." Below is a quick preview of The New Adventures Goodness and Mercy... it can also be found at http://angelicadventures.blogspot.com/

THE ADVENTURES OF GOODNESS AND MERCY
EPISODE 1: ANDY

Running!

Panting... Panting... Panting...

"Why are we running?" Mercy wheezed while trying to catch his breath.

"It's too dangerous to fly. It would let them know that we're... Duck!" They barely missed the dead branch hanging low over the wet leaved floor.

"Did you say duck? Where? I don't see one." The shorter one answered. Goodness was sure this was another one of his rather lame attempts at humor. Mercy did that a lot: throw in an off-beat joke during moments of intense pressure. After so many years of hanging around him, most of their friends and co-workers still didn't get it. But Mercy never let it bother him. He called them "tension busters". Goodness, however, found them kind of irritating. He had to confess though, that sometimes they actually helped lighten the mood. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those times.

Mercy continued to protest. "And why do we have to do this in these terran forms? I'm exhausted!"

"We have to leave a trail that lead them where we want them to go! I'm not sure they would follow us if we showed up like we normally do."

"Not even after our 'fear not' greeting?" Mercy slowed to a trot. "You know, I've been thinking of changing my angelic greeting to... "Wait! Stop! Don't run away!"

"That's better than what you said last time!"

"I was just having fun!"

"You said, 'Take me to your leader'. I couldn't believe you! Almost blew the whole mission!"

Mercy shrugged. "Well, it got their attention, didn't it?"

"Sure! But first we had to show up as human federal agents and convince the police that those humans weren't crazy. Where'd you get that whole space alien idea?"

"Remember that rescue we did at Area 51?"

Goodness loved his friend, but sometimes... Well, they had jogged enough. Time to resume speed. They had to move quickly. Andrew's life depended on their mission.

But as Goodness and Mercy quickened their pace, they heard a cacophony of screeches, fluttering wings and hurried footsteps fall in behind them. "They found us!"

Mercy's sword sang as it slipped from it's scabbard. Goodness stared at him. "We don't have time for a battle, Mercy. Keep moving!"

"I think the point of whether we have time to fight or not is kind of irrelevant right now."

Goodness hated it but he knew Mercy was right. Reluctantly, he drew his sword as, under his breath, he cursed the coming battle. "Hang on Andy!" he said softly. "We're coming."