Time

There are times I would like to dream with Jim Croce’s desire to save “Time in A Bottle” and cherish a moment longer. He sings, “there never seems to be enough time to do the things we want to do once we find them.” That statement is true for so many occasions in our lives, both in 1972 and today. There is another song from that time period that also talks about time. In 1976, The Steve Miller Band released “Fly Like an Eagle.” The intro stands out in my mind because it speaks truth in its simplicity: “Time keeps on slippin’ into the future.” And there is absolutely nothing that we can do about it. Both songs make me reflect on the good and challenging things of life.

In my faith tradition, the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” There are some things I wish would come to an end. In “Fly Like an Eagle,” these lyrics speaks to conditions that were all too familiar forty-three years ago as they are today:

Feed the babies who don’t have enough to eat Shoe the children with no shoes on their feet House the people livin’ in the street Oh, oh there’s a solution

It has been a year since I introduced myself to the congregation of Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Beltsville. Time seems to have gone by quickly. Our church is doing our part to help address those stated issues, but help is needed everywhere. I’m not going to make a political statement, just an observation with a question: Why do these concerns STILL exists in one of the wealthiest places in the world—The United States? It troubles me that our nation isn’t meeting basic needs: clothes, food, shelter. We must come together as a community to make change happen in our lifetime. We can’t bottle or stop time, but we can use it wisely to help others and fight for the greater good. If you are looking for a faith community where you can use your gifts and talents to make our world a better place, join us. Worship at Emmanuel UMC is 9 am or 11:15 am. Summer worship will be July and August at 9:45 only. Check us out on our webpage www.eumcbeltsville.com or Facebook www.facebook.com/groups/EUMCBeltsville/.

Until next time, I leave you with this:

Tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone; don’t waste today Invest in someone or something that matters now Make a difference that has benefits now and in the future Everything has a season; let’s work to make this season ours.