There is a time

[Willow]

In my reading this morning I came upon a portion I have read many times but this morning it called out to me regarding our current times, the present events that are touching our lives.

There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

It struck strongly that there is a time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.  That's hard for me.  I am a person who treasures the times of embracing.  Physical touch is my primary love language as it is for some twenty percent of the people you will encounter.  For those who may be thinking in a particular manner, physical touch as a love language is not particularly sexual.

It says also there is a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones.  I'm not certain that has been properly applied by those distributing stacks of bricks and those throwing them through windows.

It's not mentioned directly but I believe there is a time to ride and a time to sit reflecting upon the ride.

Life is complex.  There are times for so many different ways.  I choose to walk through those times as they are presented but I do long, I long for the return of the time for embracing.

[Wizzard]

Eclesiastes 3 one of my favorites

[Jess from VA]

One of my favorite old songs. 

But right about now.... it's time to stop raining.   

[MAD6Gun]

In my reading this morning I came upon a portion I have read many times but this morning it called out to me regarding our current times, the present events that are touching our lives.

There is an appointed time for everything.
And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

It struck strongly that there is a time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.  That's hard for me.  I am a person who treasures the times of embracing.  Physical touch is my primary love language as it is for some twenty percent of the people you will encounter.  For those who may be thinking in a particular manner, physical touch as a love language is not particularly sexual.

It says also there is a time to throw stones and a time to gather stones.  I'm not certain that has been properly applied by those distributing stacks of bricks and those throwing them through windows.

It's not mentioned directly but I believe there is a time to ride and a time to sit reflecting upon the ride.

Life is complex.  There are times for so many different ways.  I choose to walk through those times as they are presented but I do long, I long for the return of the time for embracing.

 That verse is on the first page of my dad's book. It was his favorite as well. Part of it is on the back cover.

[da prez]

  We were raised to hug and kiss a cheek. Men and women. That is one of the things I miss the most.
  We were taught to hold a door open , say please and thank you. We were taught to offer help and not ask for reward.  We were taught what many of the new generation will never learn or care about.

                                           da prez

[Wizzard]

 We were raised to hug and kiss a cheek. Men and women. That is one of the things I miss the most.
  We were taught to hold a door open , say please and thank you. We were taught to offer help and not ask for reward.  We were taught what many of the new generation will never learn or care about.

                                           da prez

    ditto

[Rams]

 We were raised to hug and kiss a cheek. Men and women. That is one of the things I miss the most.
  We were taught to hold a door open , say please and thank you. We were taught to offer help and not ask for reward.  We were taught what many of the new generation will never learn or care about.

                                           da prez

It is my opinion that it is our own fault, my generation as a whole pretty much failed in passing on, teaching and requiring of our children to learn and respect the “rules of the road” of social etiquette.  What’s expected and proper.   We have no one to blame but ourselves.  
Or as my ole Pappy used to say, if the shoe fits.........
Things like personal responsibility, integrity, work ethic and so on...
Rams

[Patrick]

  We were raised to hug and kiss a cheek. Men and women. That is one of the things I miss the most.
  We were taught to hold a door open , say please and thank you. We were taught to offer help and not ask for reward.  We were taught what many of the new generation will never learn or care about.

                                           da prez

We were all brought up in a different era. I still do all those things whether people like it or not. I even say Your Welcome to folks that ignore it when you hold the door for them. You know what happens, you just get a dirty look. I smile at them.

[Willow]

We were all brought up in a different era. I still do all those things whether people like it or not. I even say Your Welcome to folks that ignore it when you hold the door for them. You know what happens, you just get a dirty look. I smile at them.

LOL!  I don't bother.  I hold the door.  The rest is their choice.

  ... We were taught to offer help and not ask for reward.  ...

[John Schmidt]

A time to weep and a time to laugh.....I long for the return of the time for embracing.
============================================================

Still waiting for the "time to laugh".....I don't laugh when alone, and when in a crowd it feels pretty hollow.

[pais]

I sometimes wonder if the handshake will fall by the wayside, when this COVID thing is in the rear view mirror. I think for anybody say, 45 and older, no. Younger than that, I think it will go by the wayside. Obviously for the younger people, 30 and under, it is basically gone. Their will be exceptions but, as we know the handshake, it's a thing of the past.

[/quote]

It is my opinion that it is our own fault, my generation as a whole pretty much failed in passing on, teaching and requiring of our children to learn and respect the “rules of the road” of social etiquette.  What’s expected and proper.   We have no one to blame but ourselves.   
Or as my ole Pappy used to say, if the shoe fits.........
Things like personal responsibility, integrity, work ethic and so on...
Rams
[/quote]

Rams, I agree and saw this firsthand. I am the youngest of 9 @ 57 and the oldest being 76. I know how I was raised. When I was younger, I watched my sisters and brothers raise their children drastically different than how mom and dad raised us. The difference was noticeable and still is today as that generation is raising their children. Never understood that? My wife and I chose to raise our children more like how our parents raised us. In a nutshell we wanted to raise them to contribute to society not be a drain on society. The erosion of family and faith has fractured our country, quite possibly beyond repair. 

[Patrick]

It is my opinion that it is our own fault, my generation as a whole pretty much failed in passing on, teaching and requiring of our children to learn and respect the “rules of the road” of social etiquette.  What’s expected and proper.   We have no one to blame but ourselves.   
end quote





I agree.

[Robert]

Php 4:7  Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.

[Willow]

Php 4:7  Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.   

That's a very loose translation.  A more specific translation including the context is:

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I'm unclear with how it addresses a time for so many things except that it does tell us we'll be at peace if ...

[Gideon]

Willow, Thank you for your post and all those that continued the thread.
I wasn’t going to reply, but after dragging my heels, here are my thoughts.

Paul, in Philippians, encourages us not to worry about our current situation, but to pray with thanksgiving and ask God to intervene.  "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  I believe Paul’s use of the military term “guard” implies that the mind is a battle zone that needs to be protected. The peace of God protects the mind to keep it focused on God’s truth. Prayer is our power source. Through prayer we can have peace beyond our expectations.
The Psalmist talks about his trust in the protection that the Lord provides, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust’” Psalm 91:1,2

God bless,
Bob