Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Time Flies

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends:  With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

"Time Flies" is the name of the cabin where Danny and I stay on our most recent trip to the Nantahala Mountains.  It is our first visit to this particular cabin as it is almost always booked year round.  You can see from this spectacular view why this is a coveted place to vacation.


We make our reservations in June just to be sure we can have it for our November trip.  Quite a long while to wait!  Time certainly doesn't seem to fly during the summer and early fall months as we as we anticipate our visit.  But, once we arrive at the cabin, try as we might to savor and relax in the moment, time sprouts wings once again.

Nowhere is this more evident than on our first clear morning when Danny wakens me before dawn.

"The sunrise is going to be spectacular, I just know it!"  he assures me.  I don't want you to miss it!"

Groggy, and just a tad grumpy, I stumble out of the warm bed and into my robe and stocking cap.  I can see from the rime on the deck that the air is cold.  Extremely cold.

I sleepily pour a cup of coffee and join Danny outside where he already has camera in hand and tripod set to go.

At first, as I gaze at the horizon, it seems time is standing still.  The dimness of the sky remains steady.  Unchanging.


And, then . . .

Incrementally, the brightness grows.


And, grows . . .


And, grows . . .


Until the moment we long for arrives to the joyful alleluias of birdsong.


Sunrise!


One I will always remember.  One I will always treasure.

And, a gentle reminder that while time might not always fly, it definitely marches on.  We cannot stop its passing.  But, we can enjoy each day, every moment, of this life which the Lord has given to us.

Until the day when we, not time, fly away . . .

~

Are you spending your time wisely?

Please join me in prayer -
In this time You have given us here on earth, Father, let us do Your will and walk in Your ways to the honor and glory of Your name.  Teach us to appreciate every day You give to us and make the best of every moment.  Amen.

34 comments:

  1. Beautiful post and I am glad you got up both mornings at 6:15 to see this wonder.

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    1. I wouldn't have missed it for the world!
      Love you, Danny!

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  2. Thank you for sharing the beauty of your time away, Martha. Such beauty is worth getting up early for!

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    1. Yes, it was certainly worth getting up for - what I would have missed had I decided to sleep in!
      Thanks for visiting, Corinne!
      Blessings, my friend!

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  3. What beautiful pictures! So serene and tranquil! I loved this post and you ask a good question at the end, worthy for us all to reflect on. I try to use my time wisely for I know that it is, indeed, fleeting. Every moment bears the birth and death of something, everything is impermanent so we should enjoy it while we can, appreciating the moments we have to experience the people we love.

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by, Jessica!
      I love the thoughts you have added here. Everything is, indeed, impermanent, and we need to enjoy each and every day we are given.
      Blessings to you!

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  4. Wow - what a sight! Must have been a divine experience. I wonder how many times I've missed out on the opportunities like this in life by sleeping in:)

    Thanks for the wake up call Martha since time does fly!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Vishnu!
      Yes, every time we are in the mountains, I feel so very close to God. This was a divine experience, indeed!
      Glad you appreciated the wake-up call, too. :)
      Blessings to you!

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  5. So beautiful Martha, that glorious sunrise!
    For some time now the Lord had spoken to me about “redeeming the time, for the days are evil.” To me this means he's asking me to focus on the work at hand, the books I need to finish, which I’ve written about in my most recent post.

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    1. It was a glorious experience indeed, Debra. So glad I didn't miss it!
      Yes, finish those books, my friend! God is definitely speaking to you in this and wants you to touch others with your writing. Go for it! :)
      Thanks, as always, for coming by.
      Blessings and love!

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  6. What a glorious sunrise which I'm glad you decided to share with us!! Time does indeed stop for no man regardless of race, gender, or amount of wealth accumulated; all we can do is use our allotted time wisely. Your recent trip to the mountains was a great use of time!! Take care my friend!!

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, David!
      Yes, I'll heartily agree that our time spent in the mountains was time well spent, indeed. What photos and memories we have! Glad I could share them here.
      Blessings to you!

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  7. Wow! Wonderful integration of photography with writing with I'm-sleepy-and-need-the-coffee. And a memorable reminder of the relentless march (or sprint) of time.

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    1. Thanks for coming by, Andy, and for your kind words!
      I'm so very grateful that my husband is such an excellent photographer. He makes my posts so easy these days. :)
      And, yes, maybe "sprint" is more like it!
      Blessings to you, my friend!

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  8. WOW times three... amazing to see that sunrise. That place is worth the way. Truly beautiful. It makes you stop and count all of your blessings seeing something so spectacular .

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    1. The experience certainly had me counting my blessings, Brenda, you can be sure of that! Yes, definitely worth the wait; we are hoping we can get this cabin again in the spring.
      Thanks so much for stopping by!
      Blessings to you, dear!

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  9. oh my gosh! what a magnificent view! after seeing that, how could anyone doubt?!

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    1. Thanks for coming by, Ann Marie!
      Yes, I know . . . how could anyone doubt the existence of a mighty God when viewing this.
      Blessings to you!

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  10. Martha thank you so much for sharing this beautiful pictures!!

    It feels lucky to have witnessed this. It makes you feel closer to God, lucky to be alive and blessed... missing this sight is something totally unaffordable.

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    1. Thanks so much for dropping by today, Me!
      Glad I was able to share these photos with everyone. Believe me, I know how fortunate both Danny and I were to witness this incredible sunrise.
      Blessings to you!

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  11. How sweet is Danny! Waking you to view the most spectacular scene. Amen to the power of sight. Your post reminded me of a quote that I came across recently:

    Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.

    - Henry Van Dyke -

    I am glad that your time spent there was beautiful and left you with many more reasons to praise the Lord.

    Joy always,
    Susan

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Susan!
      Oh, I absolutely LOVE this quote and so glad you thought to share it here. What a wonderful reminder to us all.
      I'm already missing our time at the cabin and looking forward to going back in the early spring.
      Blessings to you!

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  12. Good Morning, Martha:
    But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
    The abobe quote reminds me of the movie:
    Inherit the Wind about This scene comes to mind::
    Henry Drummond: That first day, what do you think it was; 24 hours long?"

    Matthew Brady: "The bible says it was a day."

    Henry Drummond: "Well, there was no sun out, ah, you know. How do you know how long it was?"


    Time is different (as I've said in my own blog) in the spiritual realm. Your photos are well done, Martha. I love sunrise/sunset shots as they are taken during what photographers call the golden hour.
    --
    Chris

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Chris!
      That's a great dialogue from Inherit the Wind and I'm so glad you shared it here. Fits perfectly!
      I can't take credit for the photos - those are entirely Danny's doing. I just come up with the words. :)
      Blessings to you!

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  13. BEAUTIFUL! absolutely beautiful... and gorgeous... I can see why you book so early. There was once a time when I dreaded thinking ahead, now I welcome it; the anticipation is filled with excitement.

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Amy!
      Yes, this was the best view we have had at any cabin where we have stayed. And, we do plan to turn around shortly and book this for early spring. Can't wait to go back! :)
      Blessings to you!

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  14. Oh my word! I'm so glad you stumbled into that and didn't sleep through it! Absolutely amazing!

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by today, Sandy!
      Glad you didn't miss it, either. This is/was a truly wonderful place and experience.
      Blessings to you!

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  15. Absolutely beautiful pictures and words, Martha! This view is just breathtaking. And you're so right that enjoying each moment is such a beautiful gift.

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Jodi!
      Yes, every moment is precious and we must appreciate them all, the good with the not-so-good. All is in His plan.
      Blessings to you!

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  16. What a glorious morning. Just loved those pictures, Martha. I am trying very hard these days to enjoy every moment in my life and though it is sometimes not easy, it gives you so much of peace. I dont worry about the future too much. Lovely post as always. God bless you

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    1. Thanks so much for coming by, Rimly!
      Your attitude is the right one to have, my friend. We can worry about the future, but does that change anything? No! It's what we do in the here and now which will determine our future.
      Blessings to you!

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  17. Glorious ~ every second and minute... I love the images you shared here...

    I remember waiting for sunrise everyday during my Ignatian retreat... It was like waiting for the Lord to come every morning... just like Advent is to Christmas...

    Hmmm... the thing is, I spend my time almost always either with the kids or with something to read... praying is wonderful in the early hours of the morning...and extended prayers and Scriptural reading throughout the day...

    I wish I could say I spend it wisely, but not so often :P

    Lots of love to you and I pray with you...thank you for reminding me how precious time is :)

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    1. Thanks so much for visiting, Melissa!
      Yes, waiting for the sunrise IS like waiting for the Lord to appear - what a great analogy!
      Glad you enjoyed the photos and the message.
      Love and blessings to you always, my dear!

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