In time, everything on earth will come to an end.

Last night I checked off another of my 43 Things. Five of us gathered at my house for the first night of the men’s Bible study I started up. Three more are supposed to be there next week. We’re studying “A Life Well Lived” by Tommy Nelson, an in-depth study of the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes isn’t your “typical” Bible book. It spends most of it’s words talking about the trials and futility of life, not about the virtues of God. One of the things Solomon writes about is how he worked hard and built great things but in the end it all came crumbling down and was forgotten.

I increased my achievements. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens and parks for myself and planted every kind of fruit tree in them. I constructed reservoirs of water for myself from which to irrigate a grove of flourishing trees. I acquired male and female servants and had slaves who were born in my house. I also owned many herds of cattle and flocks, more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. I also amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I gathered male and female singers for myself, and many concubines, the delights of men. Thus, I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; my wisdom also remained with me. All that my eyes desired, I did not deny them. I did not refuse myself any pleasure, for I took pleasure in all my struggles. This was my reward for all my struggles. When I considered all that I had accomplished and what I had labored to achieve, I found everything to be futile and a pursuit of the wind. There was nothing to be gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:4-11 (MSG)

I know just how he feels. I poured myself into 7 years of marriage only to have it come to tragic end. I worked hard the last five years on building the complicated systems and trusted relationships here at work only to have my associates pressured into moving or leaving the company, and to see the systems which I built and maintained be handed off to others who have demolished them. Solomon did a lot of good things in his life and also made a lot of mistakes in his life. Yet only the things he did for God have stood the test of time.

A Life Well Lived

…What a person plants, he will harvest…

I went back to work today after taking a five-day extended weekend. That in itself was enough to make it a bad day. But then added to the ‘returning from vacation’ situation I also had my boss in town for my six month review. Which made it a miserable day. Suffice it to say it did not go anywhere near as well as I had hoped. So the rest of the day I was pretty disgruntled.
Then at the close of the day my accountability partner called and insisted that I join him at AxP tonight. I’ve been wanting to go back to AxP for a long time, but tonight I really wasn’t “in the mood”. But I knew I’d just get harrassed if I didn’t go, so I showed up and I’m glad I did. No matter what my mood, my soul always longs to worship. One of the songs that we sang was Blessed Be Your Name, a song which has meant a great deal to me since Lisa died. It was a much-needed reminder tonight. When the darkness closes in, Lord Still I will say…Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Scott’s message at AxP was about music – specifically in regards to the “Law of the Harvest”.

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others – ignoring God! – harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Galatians 6:7-9

How true this scripture is in my life. I can sit and think about the injustices of this life or I can dwell on the mercies of our Lord. As we IT folks like to say, “Garbage In, Garbage Out”.