Roger Meyer

Many have heard the joking declaration: “Lord, please give me patience—and give it to me right NOW!” This tongue-in-cheek, satirical statement humorously depicts what is so hard about being patient.

Many have also heard the maxim “Patience is a virtue,” probably so many times that it becomes a cliché—tiresome and meaningless to them. That is regrettable because patience is a highly valuable character attribute! Whoever has and exercises patience will reap rewards.

Another mass murder took place, this time at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida on February 14. Expelled student Nikolas Cruz entered the building, killing at least 17 and injuring many others. The question everyone always wants to know is “Why?”

The Parkland community is no doubt stunned and bewildered, as is the rest of the nation watching the sickening news reports. Decades ago, I would have used the word “shocking,” but sadly it isn’t shocking anymore, because it has been happening all too frequently.

The sign in a church yard caught my eye as I drove by: “XOXOXOXO Be my Valentine. Love, God.”

X’s and O’s are commonly used to represent “kisses” and “hugs” when writing romantic notes. Valentine’s Day is a religious holiday for some, but to most it is secular—a day of romance, exchanging cards expressing love, and giving gifts of chocolates and flowers.

The older we get, the truer is the statement “Time flies!” It is 2018, and we still get 24 hours every day to use as we see fit. How can we best use the time we have?

Those of us who are older may feel more urgency as we wonder: “How much time do I have left? And what should I do with that time?”

I remember going back to my parent’s home for a visit, 35 to 40 years ago. We talked and reminisced about events in our lives from days gone by. I will never forget my Dad commenting in wonderment, “Where did all the years go?”

One proverb I read early in life was titled, “For Want of a Nail.” It shows the difference a little thing can make. A little thing can make the difference between life and death!

Numerous stories, proverbs, and wise sayings teach that small things can bring serious consequences. There are various versions of the “For Want of a Nail” proverb, but a basic version is as follows:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.

For want of a shoe the horse was lost.

For want of a horse the rider was lost.