You’ll Never Find This in “Lost and Found”

By Karen Friday

The ding of an alarm ring. The tick-tock of a clock. The swing of a pendulum. A second. A minute. A moment in time.

Time is the one thing we have equal amounts of (in a day). You may have more money, square footage, education, good-looks, and possessions. Time is the same.

The difference is seen in how we manage, use, and spend 24 hours, 1,440 minutes, or 86,400 seconds.

“Just killing time,” is losing something we can never get back. Time wasted, thrown away or squandered can in no way be recovered. Lost forever. There has never been a lost and found for time. Maybe a lost watch. Not lost time.

Time is a gift. The gift of memories, of life, of moments each day. None of them can be re-lived. Once a moment in time is spent—it’s gone—like money in our pocket. Spent is spent. You cannot return a moment in time for a full refund. Sorry, there is a no-exchange policy that comes with time. 

Have you ever re-gifted something? A gift you didn’t want, so you give—gift it—to someone else? Time is often re-gifted. Our time is spent on what, who, and how we choose. There are ‘whens’ of time:

• When the gift of time is desired.
• When ‘leftover’ time is given, it then becomes the re-gifting we never wanted
• When we are present in body, but not in mind, time is unavailing.

Being in the moment and in the presence of others is precious time well spent.

In the presence. Our bodies can be present with others, yet our minds are somewhere else. Perhaps…online. I like social media. The connection with people around the world (I have a friend in Africa I have never met, although I have been there). I enjoy keeping in touch with past school-mates, long-distance relatives, and other writers. Sharing my writings on media sites and reading articles by other authors is a joy. This blog article is online. Notice the positive words I used to describe social media (in italics). It can be a good, useful tool, unless we spend the majority of our ‘precious moments of time’ there. Spent is spent.

Social media has made great strides forward in connecting us with people near and far, yet we have gone backwards in the disconnect it causes with the people we see face-to-face. Similar to, “Can I take two giant steps forward? Oh, you didn’t say, ‘Mother may I?’ Go back to the beginning and start over.”

We’ve replaced real-life ‘friends’ with contacts and conversations with texts; having a relationship with smart phones and devices. Warning: Devices and social media can be dangerous to your relational health.

Sending and receiving text messages with encouraging words or Scripture is a ministry—particularly with others we don’t see often. However, texting doesn’t replace the exchange of words in person or at the very least, voices on the phone. Deep interpersonal communication on an emotional, healthy level is accomplished best in the presence.

Spouses, children, and parents desire our gift of time. Siblings, grandparents, grandchildren—people in our ‘family tree’ will remember time with us—more than any other gift. Ask a child who never sees a parent. Time is priceless.

My high school junior prom theme was “Always and Forever.” A song written by Rod Temperton.

Forever is never-ending time. Does anyone promise ‘forever’ and really own up to it? 

Yes, Jesus! 

The gift of eternal life promises we will spend endless time in heaven. Always and forever in the presence of Jesus! It doesn’t get any better than that!

Can I get an “Amen” from Christ-followers in the family tree of heaven?!

© 2014 by Karen Friday