The Tick of Time

As a wedding gift, Brenda and Dale gave us a beautiful clock that I believe Dale made. That clock has been on a very visible and prominent wall as we moved from home to home. Each week, Mark gets the key from behind it and winds it up again. Then one day a couple years ago, it quit working.

I carefully took it down off the wall and brought it to a clock shop and asked if it could be fixed. They gave me no promises, but said they would take a look at it. A couple days later, I stopped in the clock shop to find out the prognosis. The owner told me it could be fixed, but it would cost $125. If Brenda and Dale paid that much for my wedding gift, I owe them something because my gift to them wasn't even close. When he said $125, I blinked a couple times, swallowed hard, looked down at my feet, looked back up at him and said,

"Fix it please."

While that clock was in the shop, we all commented on how much we missed it. Someone was always looking at its spot on the wall to check the time and all we saw was an empty wall. No one realized how often we checked the time by that clock. Elizabeth says it ticks loudly and she needed to stop it to study; I don't usually hear it unless I make it a point to listen for it.

I look at that clock and think about all the ticks of time that have gone by since we first received it as a gift. Brenda and I have been married for greater than 30 years (not to each other of course), we weren't able to stay in close touch over the years, then got it back, we had children, now each of us has a child married, and this week Brenda became the grandmother to a beautiful baby girl.

That clock is a reminder to me of a sweet frendship, of how time slips through my fingers with each tick and how to make every second count. Every time I look at that clock, it reminds me of the blessings I have been so graciously given over these past 30+ years. Glory.

This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Today's Thanks:
1. The new life of Ruth Vinson, healthy baby, healthy mom.
2. A really good beef roast for dinner tonight.
3. A work slowdown, but still plenty of work.
4. Being with Cody, Elizabeth and Carissa.
5. Watching Nicholas and Michael play football and their joy in playing.
6. Answered questions for Tate.
7. My children and my husband.

With Lifted Hands:
1. Safety for Brenda and Dale as they travel to PA.
2. Elizabeth.
3. Continued healing for Tate.
4. Job searches.
5. Friends who have been hurt.