That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

We are told by the Lord to ASK the Lord to help us number our days…  Yes. Number our days and ask for WISDOM to live them…

But if you are like me, I tend to get picky picky picky about how I spend my days and my minutes… I don’t like to waste time unless I am the one who has decided to waste it… Really.

I like unstructured time – especially on a Saturday (and honestly I should take a few vacation days this year to do so) – to simply be in charge of having no charge, to have the energy to not use the energy, to not second guess because I never guessed, to pick what I want to do – which is best when not picking anything…  Yeah. Really.

But the pick of today was 2 fold. Actually there were many many picks – including to end the day with a waterpik! Today, I picked gardening, I picked planting flowers, I picked mowing the grass before 9am – good pick. I picked up the computer to rest – I picked up a shower and the mail. I picked up kale salad and egg custard and bananas – great pick. And I picked up the phone to chat with others – best pick. I also picked to chat with neighbors and friends. I picked to text my kids (new generation I know picks up the messages over the talking). I picked to talk to the Lord – PRICELESS but I did not pick that enough!

Anyway, I excitedly picked up a $20 new shredder – SO EXCITED! and then I JAMMED the shredder – OOPS. it has a great mechanism for knowing the drawer is in or out – BUT not that the drawer is OVER FULL. I did not apply wisdom here. Not the first time I forgot to pick out the wisdom.  I did something similar – 30 years ago – with an in-sink grinder and giant zucchini and no water – but I digress…  I jammed the shredder – THIS new shredder – and then I spent like 2 hours trying to unjam it with no luck. And I STILL have all the shredding to do and no, I don’t want to drop it off in a lockbox.

Now – I didn’t really feel like I wasted the money or the time – and you do get addicted to the picking… I did pick outside in the beautiful weather – and I DID have the time, I thought.. The cat was out in her tent too. And I was blessed as I picked up the phone a few times while picking the papers out. I picked and picked until it got dark – and  it IS particularly good to be outside as the nicely crosscut paper is now everywhere – hmmm…

Anyway, I picked how to use the time – but did I pick to apply wisdom? Probably not – but I did pick to discuss it with the Lord about how stupid I could feel but decided to not pick up that self-criticism – I simply applied thanks to the Lord for this harmless incident reminding me that I am SO fallible… 

I picked a second more delicious treat – crabs – garlic crabs – I picked inside this time – I meant to pick outside and enjoy messy yum fun –  I picked them up last night at $4.50 each – I got 4 – 2 is enough for a meal that takes 2 hours…  I meant to pick them up to eat early – but I picked and picked that shredder until I was almost picked out – but then remembered I had to pick at the crabs. I traded fruitless picking of jammed paper to pick the delicious crabs – same picking – different result. 

And there is the WISDOM here – SAME PICKING MOTION – DIFFERENT RESULT. I could pick the day and pick the time and pick the place – but I SHOULD let God pick out the best wisdom for the moment. Number our days Lord and/but don’t make us count the minutes as wasted. There are times to be picky about time = and times to just be pickled in joy that we have the time to pick. Teach us to number our days Lord, and/but pick out the peace from the adventure too. 

Pick your battles rather than let your battles pick on you.  APPLY WISDOM.

I would pick again tomorrow – maybe – I do have more crabs and I do have more outside stuff planned – and you know the cat will want to go outside again. And so for that shredder, it is a challenge I will pick up until the Lord says: Put it down. Maybe pick up a new thing – maybe just let the Lord pick it – YEAH!   And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands.

Amen – and tomorrow is another pick day – God’s Way.

Amen

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Psalm 90 NKJV – The Eternity of God, and Man’s Frailty – A Prayer of Moses the man of God.

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth,
Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

You turn man to destruction, And say, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it is past, And like a watch in the night.
You carry them away like a flood; They are like a sleep.
In the morning they are like grass which grows up:
In the morning it flourishes and grows up;
In the evening it is cut down and withers.

For we have been consumed by Your anger, And by Your wrath we are terrified.
You have set our iniquities before You, Our secret sins in the light of Your countenance.
For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; We finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years, Yet their boast is only labor and sorrow; For it is soon cut off, and we fly away. Who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath. So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Return, O Lord! How long? And have compassion on Your servants.
Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days!
Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, The years in which we have seen evil.
Let Your work appear to Your servants, And Your glory to their children.
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands.