Time

"In Your hand are my times."

Psalm 31:15

aubade\oh-BAHD\ ,noun; A song or poem greeting the dawn

It snowed last night, a rare occurrence in Fort Mill, SC.,

so, I walked in the wood. Time is slower under trees.

Time- the system of those sequential relations that any event has to any other, as past, present, or future... Webster's.

Thanks to the mind of the Greeks we have sequential, linear time (the Children of Israel viewed time in a circular dimension). The Hebrew for the word in Psalm 31- times- is from the root aw-daw; times- circumstances. There are three situations which the word describes:

1. Regular events

2. The appropriate time for an nonrecurring incident

3. A set time.

The Greek equivalent is kairos, of which, there is no good English equivalent. Spiros Zodhiates says, "Kairos implies not the convenience of the season, but the necessity of the task at hand whether the time provides a good, convenient opportunity or not." My task at hand is teaching High School students who, much of their time, are not interested in being taught. Apathy rules. This morning I am chewing on the first question posed by God to man in Scripture,

"Where are you?"

It is a valid question still. To my students, I pose this question-

"What is your goal?"

Few answer. But then, some answers need more time than others. Art is about questions. The novelist Henry James posed three questions regarding art;

1. What is the artist trying to say?

2. Did he/she succeed?

3. Was it worth saying?

God has given me the amazing opportunity of teaching High School students about the thing called Art; explaining and demonstrating an elusive, fluid concept that can seem as frustrating as grasping Mercury. When all is said and done, it is Mr. James' 3rd question that will be the most important- "Was it worth saying?"

Time will tell.

Epiphany

e·piph·a·ny (-pf-n)

an intuitive grasp of reality through something (as an event) usually simple and striking

And so it begins,
a new decade. Today is the day we remember the Magi's 'epiphany'. This morning in faculty prayer, Amy McNelis (Trinity's English teacher Extraordinaire) shared the significance of the gifts presented to the Christ Child- gold, frankincense and myrrh. She gave us visual aids. For the gift of gold there was a foil-wrapped Reese's cup; the marvel of buttery peanuts embraced by chocolate. Frankincense was a scented twig from her kitchen broom and Myrrh- a rainbow band aid. Simply beautiful.
Θεοφάνεια

Theophany- a moment of time when God appears to men. Matthew tells us of such a moment- ...and lo, the star, which they had seen in the East, went on before them, until it came and stood over where the Child was. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly, with great joy (they could hardly contain themselves, The Message). And they came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh.

The first Christmas gifts have long been associated with aspects of Christ.
Gold- Lord and King
Frankincense- Priest
Myrrh- Savior
What did Mary wonder as she looked at these gifts? Did she use them? Did she keep them and show them to Jesus later in life?

I placed Amy's 'gifts' on my desk and looked at them throughout the day. The more I looked, the more I saw Jesus in them- the Godman who is a sweet, scented salve.

Well done, Amy.

my exit to work