Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the Lord. ~Psalm 106:48
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ~Hebrews 13:8
Once again, the possibility of keeping the USA on one time year-round instead of switching semi-annually, is on the table. The House of Representatives passes a bill just last week to keep Daylight Savings Time permanent. There are already doubts that the Senate will vote in the affirmative. However, I, for one, am happy that it's at least being discussed, and I'm hoping that they will come to a bi-partisan consensus agreeable to the majority of Americans.
The following quote in a July 16th press release from the AP encapsulates the essence of why time changes matter: Currently, the shift is forward in spring and back to standard time in fall as a way to give people more daylight time in the summer evenings. But the semi-annual change has few fans - and AP-NORC* poll last year found that only 12% of American adults were in favor of it, while almost half opposed it. Proponents of a single time include the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine - outfits to whom daily rhythms are deeply important.
I can tell you from personal experience that those daily rhythms are of utmost importance to me. And the older I get, the more I find my body craves a dependable routine. Even when I was much younger, having to adjust to new sleep schedules and dealing with growing children became irritatingly problematic, especially the "spring forward" aspect of the whole ordeal. Add to that a cat and a dog who had no concept of time, and things could and did go south in a hurry.
In the end, necessary adjustments are realized, but why put us through this mess in the first place? I know there will be plenty of opinions regarding whether we should remain on Daylight Savings Time or permanently revert to Standard Time, and I'm sure, too, depending on where in the country you live, you much prefer one over the other. Or perhaps, you don't have strong feelings either way. Pro or con, I'd love to hear from you in the comments. This should produce a lively discussion for all who choose to participate!
We can certainly agree or disagree about time changes here on earth, but I take great comfort in knowing that our God is the unchanging, everlasting Father. Time never dictates His agenda. He is beyond our worldly understanding of time, yet never inaccessible in the present moment. What a blessing that is!
And I think that's something we can all agree on.
Amen!
*National Opinion and Research Center
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I have never understood this changing of times backwards and forwards. Surely we have more daylight in summer whatever the clock says what time it is.
ReplyDeleteIn Scandinavian countries they have very limited daylight. By the time they get up in the morning and prepare breakfast it is time to get to bed again.
Also there's confusion with each country having a different time. When it's noon here in the UK it is a different time where you are or where someone else is. Why is that?
Even with God time is confusing. It is said that to Him one day is like a thousand years. Must have been very confusing when He called Moses up the mountain. Did He want him now or in a thousand years' time? I pity Moses. When he came down with the Commandments he had to go up all over again in another thousand years time to get a new set of Commandments. No wonder the Israelites rebelled and went round in circles in the desert for 40 years. Or was it longer? Or shorter?
I'm confused.
God bless.
And you've thoroughly managed to confuse me here, Victor - LOL! Thanks so much for contributing so richly to this discussion, my friend.
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I remember when it was implemented as an energy-savings step -- during the 1973 oil embargo. The debate raged, but Congress enacted it, simply because it needed to look like it was doing something during the embargo. My vote is ditch it.
ReplyDeleteThat's my vote, too, Glynn. I really don't care which time is decided upon in the end, but we have a lot of advantages in the South even when we're on Standard Time. I'm interested to hear what other folks think.
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Victor's comment has me smiling 😃 and in deep thought, Margaret. LOL! I hope you have a lovely week, dear friend.
ReplyDeleteThat's classic Victor for sure, Linda! God broke the mold when He gave him that great sense of humor.
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I take comfort in the truth that while His mercies are new every morning. He stays the same-morning, noon and night and every time in between!
ReplyDeleteAmen, Bill! We can all take great comfort in that knowledge.
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The time change is just one more thing to do twice a year, I wouldn't miss it.
ReplyDeleteI hear you, Christine, nor would I.
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I can’t stand the twice-a-year time change circus. Pick one, stick with it, and let’s be done! Personally, I’m all about standard time. Sure, each state can make its own choice, but in California, where listening to the people is apparently optional, we’re stuck. Back in 2018, we voted for standard time probably because we already have enough sunshine and sizzling heat. Who’s asking for an extra hour of blazing evenings? Yet here we are, years later, and nothing’s changed. Not a smidge. Not a diddly squat.
ReplyDeleteWhere you live, Debby, you most definitely need to be on Standard Time. I'm afraid that Californian politicians aren't in the habit of listening to their constituents; they'd rather tell them what they should think and what they should do. Praying for a positive change for all of you!
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I don't really have strong feelings one way or the other, Martha. But living 15+ years in Arizona where the clocks stayed the same all year was nice. I'm trying not to take this whole debate seriously; we'll adapt.
ReplyDeleteYou see, Myra, Arizona had the right idea from the get-go! I'm not counting on our Congress to do the right thing when it comes to this, but we will see. One time would be so much easier.
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They will do what they will do, and what we think doesn't really matter in the long run. I would vote to leave it at the standard time. There are only a few weeks on each end that made a difference anyway. Days are longer in the summer, whichever time is used. Bring back the sundials that were used for years and years. Noon is noon. God put the sun in the sky. It rises and sets. xo
ReplyDeleteYou're so right about the fact that Daylight Savings Time doesn't really make a big difference, especially in the summer. I'm all for bringing back the sundials, too - LOL! Can you imagine? And I'm so thankful that God saw fit to create our solar system just the way He did. Perfect!
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I hate changing the clocks twice a year, and have not seen ANY good reason for it!!! I would like to keep Daylight Savings time.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you weighed in here, Ginny. Changing the clocks, for me, is never a good thing.
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Olá, Martha
ReplyDeleteNo Brasil não tem mais horário de verão. Concordo com essa decisão. Um forte abraço.
I do hope our Congress will make the decision to make one time permanent, Lucinalva, and I'm glad you agree.
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Daylight savings is something that I can take or leave and I feel it drags on as we have 6 months of it
ReplyDeleteI certainly hear you, Jo-Anne. Let's just keep the clocks on the same time year round whatever is settled upon.
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I do hope they finally decide to keep it at one time year round. Right now I couldn't tell you the difference between Standard and DST. I think I'd prefer standard, but I really don't care that much...just keep it one way or the other please!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's my sentiment exactly, Pamela. Quit changing! Our bodies, minds and spirits have enough to go through without messing with our Circadian rhythms if you ask me.
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Wonderful post, Martha! I'm thankful time never dictates the Lord's agenda. While my favorite thing about summer has always been the long daylight hours, the change during winter is not. :-) Like you, the older I grow, the less I like the time change. And of course, our sweet grandkids and Winston, our pug, have a hard time adjusting to it all. God bless.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Karen, that nothing we could ever think, say or do dictates the Lord's agenda. For my needs, our summer hours here in the South are more than sufficient for outdoor activities should we so choose; our Northern friends have even more of that even staying on Standard Time. Give your beautiful grandkids and the intrepid Winston hugs for me!
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Martha this is certainly a good subject to discuss. Several years ago I did a funny post regarding the time changing. Our organ player on Easter Sunday (the time just happened to change that year on Easter) changed her clock like a faithful soul but instead of springing forward, she dialed back the clock. She arrived at church as everyone was on their way out. So you can see this changing of time is man's silly way of thinking they control time...as you mentioned our Father is the author and controller of time. Wonder if He does not laugh at our silly ways of trying to make a day shorter or longer! As for me personally I am hoping we will go with standard time but in the end I too will adapt to whatever is decided. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteOh, Debbie, your story here perfectly encapsulates the hazards of men and women thinking that they know better about time than their Father in heaven does! We are definitely silly in our way of thinking when God sets the entire universe in motion according to His will and His ways. If some of these elected representatives have hesitation, maybe they should simply read the medical evidence that pleads against it.
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Martha, this is Sandie - Chatty - in the mist of changing my email!! Lol
ReplyDeleteAnyway - I am with you. Leave the time zone alone. It is too hard to go back and forth. I wonder if they will??
I sure hope they will, Sandie. I'm so sick of the time change and have been for a long time. Seems that your email is working fine.
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When we moved to Arizona it was weird at first not observing Daylight Saving Time but now I love it! The Navajo Nation however does observe it.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting, Regina, that the state stays on one time, yet the Navajo Nation chooses to switch. Thanks for coming by!
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I am in favor of picking one and sticking with it. I agree with how the changing wrecks havoc on body rhythms. If up to me, I would prefer Standard Time, but I’ll take either one! It is the same amount of daylight no matter which is chosen.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for joining in this discussion, A. The more the merrier.
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I don't mind the change twice a year, it has been like that as long as I remember. Here, in the Netherlands, we have long, long summer evenings which I love!!
ReplyDeleteBeing so far north, Marja, that's a bonus, indeed! I remember the summer I studied in the United Kingdom; I was amazed at how late the sun set and how early it returned the next morning. It did take some getting used to.
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I love the title, Martha, and heartedly agree with it. And like you, I'm a routine oriented guy and don't enjoy having to adjust twice a year. In my opinion, dealing with the changes in the length of our days is enough, and at least that's both a natural and very gradual thing. And speaking of such things, getting used to the difference in the length of days and nights when the Lord sent us to Alaska was a bit of a challenge, to say the least.
ReplyDeleteI also totally agree with you that it would be nice to find something that the DC crowd could manage to agree on. Those in the Trump Derangement camp will find some way to declare that that changing it will confuse some endangered species and cause them to start having crosseyed offspring or something.
Thanks again for refreshing our heart with your post, and if the oppositional crazies win and we don't get it changed, at least we'll have one more reason to appreciate our eternal home where the clocks won't be running our lives anymore. Until that day comes, may God help us to fix our minds and hearts on bringing His Kingdom to life here and now in whatever time zone we find ourselves.
I'll bet living in Alaska was quite the difficult adjustment, Ron. When I read your second paragraph, I literally laughed out loud. It will be nothing short of a miracle if our elected officials can actually get together and work on something that actually makes sense. And like you, I'm looking forward to those days with the Lord when clocks will no longer dictate our rising up and our laying down. Such a comfort to know we are eternally His.
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It's funny, but it's also so exasperating. Man thinks that because he switches around the hands of a clock he can bring more daylight just goes to show how big/pig-headed we've gotten and out of rhythm w/ Nature and Divine Intelligence.
ReplyDeletePlus, it's been proven that it's not good for our bodies to have their natural rhythm messed with. Sometimes I think changing the time is one of those many things those in control came up w/ to keep us off-center and enslaved to their whims.
As the Native American saying goes,
"Only the government would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of the blanket, sew it to the bottom, and have a longer blanket."