Of Contrite Recognition

Oh, I should never want to be

Absorbed with living’s this and that

So that what’s right in front of me

Falls heedless through perception’s cracks

And I should never want to pine

Gazing to skyline’s in my thought

Missing what Love has tendered mine

While hungering for what is not

Else I might miss the golden glow

Of laughter in love’s eager eyes

Or how the hope of heaven flows

Through crevices in darkened skies

And then perhaps I would forget

To touch and hold and taste and see

The beauty of love’s preciousness

And life’s awesome fragility

We cannot choose love’s holy hues

What God will give or when He takes

We ought to cherish gifted blooms

Before their petals skim the lakes

Moments transpire, volatile

Slipping across ephemeral dust

Lord, teach us how to recognize

Your gifts these moments lend to us

© Janet Martin

and Job said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."  Job 1:21

Last night I had a dream/nightmare that somehow we were late for Emily's wedding because we forgot to look at the clock. When we scrambled to get dressed I realized that I had forgotten to get anything new for any of us to wear and Emily was calling from the church to ask what was keeping us! I just couldn't believe that I was so distracted that I forgot to look at the time!

It reminded me of this parable...