Ticks of Time

Hopefully another connection to Peter Pan will not steer you away from reading my post today. Through the experiences in my life it has become a powerful theme. . .

Time brings a love-hate relationship. Depending on the circumstance, time goes by too fast or too slow. It has double-sided feelings with the overriding fears of the future and longings for the past. I am learning that by dwelling on the past and worrying about the future, I miss living in the present.

Captian Hook is the villainous pirate captain of Neverland. His character is arrogant and boasterous, with little outward appearance of fear. However, when hearing the sound of a soft "tick-tock," Hook has an instant immobilization. It can be assumed that in a place where no one desires to grow up, time is Hook's greatest fear.

Like Hook, the ticking of clocks naturally brings fear of future and anxiety of the past.  Yet peace comes from trusting in the Lord's timing, which is perfect. In Ecclesiastes, the vitality of time is taught:

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

“A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

“… A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; …

“… A time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Eccl. 3:1–2, 4–5, 7).

Throughout my life, I have struggled to put faith in God's timing. Yet through time and experience, I have developed a testimony of the perfection of His timing. God sees the beginning to end. As I learn and grow, new blessings and challenges unfold. Often the things I hope for eagerly in "my time" need some nurturing and growing with time. In God's perfect timing, His grace adds to my faith to lift me to higher ground. Tick by tick my fairy unfolds to completeness.

Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “The issue for us is trusting God enough to trust also His timing. If we can truly believe He has our welfare at heart, may we not let His plans unfold as He thinks best? The same is true with the second coming and with all those matters wherein our faith needs to include faith in the Lord’s timing for us personally, not just in His overall plans and purposes.”

Complete faith in God's timing includes trust in both His will and timing. Instead of worrying about getting to the next step, I am learning to concentrate on today to create strength for the blessings of tomorrow.

I feel God's timing is prevelant in all aspects of my life, including my employment here in Arizona. This year has been full of transitions - 4th grade teacher at BCE, long-term sub, instructional aide, part-time middle school teacher, and now 4th grade teacher again. Although I wished to have had a 4th grade position immediately when moving to Arizona, I realize this is the best time for it to happen. Even in the transition I am learning to maintain in trust God's timing, by which His grace will bless me.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, "Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life’s opportunities—to take advantage of those that are received and to persist through the disappointments of those that are lost. In the exercise of that faith, we should commit ourselves to the priorities and standards we will follow on matters we do not control and persist faithfully in those commitments, whatever happens to us because of the agency of others or the timing of the Lord. When we do this, we will have a constancy in our lives that will give us direction and peace. Whatever the circumstances beyond our control, our commitments and standards can be constant."

Referring back to Captain Hook, he runs away from the tick tock of the Crocodile. Yet with faith in God's timing, I hope find a dancing beat to the tick-tock of the Crocodile. In so doing, my heart may feel gratitude for joyful memories, hope for the future, and passion for the present.