How almost impossible to exercise eternal vigilance! Habit was more powerful, in the long run, than the most implacable of wills.”
–Zane Grey (Arizona Ames)
“But Jesus said to him, ‘No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.'”
–Luke 9:62 (NKJV)
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March is upon us! Remember the old saying, “In like a lion, out like a lamb.” Well, in some parts of the country the cold wind is howling and there are freezing temperatures. I reckon that’s lion-esk.
Here are a few random thoughts I gathered from the “Old Farmer’s Almanac.”
–Blue was the color originally associated with St. Patrick. Somewhere, somehow along the line it was substituted for green. How and why, I have no idea. I used to wear orange in my classroom for the Protestant Irish on St. Patrick’s Day.
–Don’t forget, St. Patrick’s is the day for the planting of peas.
–Cabbage seeds are to be planted on St. Patrick’s as well, but to make them grow better you have to plant them while wearing your nightclothes.
–St. Patrick didn’t chase all the snakes out of Ireland.
For some reason St. Patrick’s Day is just another day for drinking and carousing (as if another day was needed). It would be something that St. Patrick would not condone, despite the stereotype of the Irish.
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Groan–it’s upon us again! Daylight Saving Time. I do wish they would just leave us to nature’s time and quit messing with things. There is really no need for it today, especially the switching back and forth.
Here’s a little history (again from the “Old Farmer’s Almanac”).
–Benjamin Franklin supposedly suggested it back in 1784 as a joke. It was again proposed by George Hudson, British, in 1885, but he was ridiculed along with his idea. In 1907, the idea was revived by William Willett.
–The Germans were the first to officially adopt the concept in 1915 during World War I. The British copied it in 1916 and the U.S. adopted it in 1918. This was at the time when our time zones were established. (Imagine traveling today without a time zone.) The law was repealed in the U.S. in 1920.
No matter what happens, ahem, “time marches on” (pun intended).
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Habit truly is much easier than vigilance. And how often do bad habits take hold of us! If we are not careful those habits may get us off course. Our goal, that is in the distance, and because we do not have vigilance it seems to be getting no closer. However, we may seem motionless, not moving when God is going forward. He is never still. He is never hurried and never lost. He never doubles back. He knows how long it will take to arrive at His destination, and He will arrive right on time.
Two things then: don’t lose vigilance and don’t look at things with carnal eyes. Your progress must be seen with supernatural eyes. We are borne along by God, and He has us moving forward on His charted course.
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Today in the Texas Revolution: Travis’ letter of desperate plea arrives at Washington on the Brazos. Houston orders Fannin to go to his aid (too late!). Fannin receives news of Texas’ declaration of independence. Houston and his staff head for Gonzales.