A time to KEEP, a time to THROW AWAY

 Last Saturday, I was attending the funeral of my grandson's girl's father. My own daughter did one of the readings and the phrase I am using to head this post literally jumped out at me when I re-heard it for the umteenth time. ......

But before I write about that, I want to talk about today's little incident. I had been thinking about the quote from Saturday, and feeling guilty because it is a while since I have written in this blog. I looked around the kitchen where I was sitting, looking for something I could throw out. Then my eye lit on this little piece of paper:

I'm not fully sure how it came to be on the table beside me.

It dates from the visit I paid to the 'DEAD MUSEUM' with my youngest granddaughter, some time in the late summer before she left to go to school in TAIWAN. She and I had each brought a fossil in the hopes o having it identified, and Paulo is the man we spoke to. He was very kind and told us what he could. This paper is the few notes I made at the time.

I'm finding it a struggle to throw it in the bin. Yes, I am remembering this event today because I have the piece of paper to remind me. But prior to coming across it, the memory of that lovely encounter had been buried deep inside me, and if I hadn't the paper, I am unlikely to have brought it to mind.

The question is whether today is the TIME TO THROW AWAY?

I'm still undecided so it is still here beside me. Maybe I will, but maybe I might not? .....

Now, back to that QUOTE ... 

I found an article referring to the phrase that impressed me so much at the website:  GOT QUESTIONS .

Yes, I know this is a long quotation, (I've just realized how long, so do the best you can!) but I think it is worth reprinting it here as every word of it is relevant to my own struggle to 'THROW THINGS AWAY. Enjoy (if it's relevant to you?)

If you’ve ever sorted through your belongings for a garage sale or yard sale, you can probably relate to King Solomon’s observation in Ecclesiastes 3:6 that “there is a time to keep and a time to throw away.” This statement is part of an extended passage (Ecclesiastes 3:1–8) in which Solomon parallels fourteen positive and negative times and seasons of life. Together they represent the sum of human existence. Ultimately, Solomon concludes that God controls each moment and works out His good purposes through every experience.

“A time to keep and a time to throw away” almost certainly applies to how we deal with our personal possessions. Scripture states that nothing in this life is ours to keep forever: “For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:7; see also Ecclesiastes 5:15; Job 1:21). Since we can’t take anything with us when we die, the focus of our existence ought not to be on acquiring things (Psalm 49:17).

The Bible reveals that everything we have comes from God (John 3:27; Romans 11:36; 1 Corinthians 11:12). Our heavenly Father is generous and blesses His children when they are charitable, too (Proverbs 22:9). Jesus taught this principle of giving: “Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back” (Luke 6:38, NLT).

The same rule is applied in Proverbs 11:24–25: “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed” (NLT).

Even though generosity is the rule, the apostle Paul spoke of an appropriate “time to keep” and not give to one in need. Believers are not obligated to provide for those who are lazy, idle, and unwilling to work. Within God’s family, there should be no freeloading or expecting handouts (1 Thessalonians 4:11; 2 Thessalonians 3:10–12).

“A time to keep and a time to throw away” also reminds us of Jesus’ challenge in Matthew 10:39: “If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it” (Matthew 10:39, NLT). There are times and occasions when getting rid of our possessions is better than keeping them. Sometimes we cling too tightly to our stuff. For this reason, Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions” (Luke 12:15).

Instead, Jesus instructed, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:19–21, NLT).

According to Paul, our heavenly assets are the only ones worth keeping in the bank: “Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life” (1 Timothy 6:17–19, NLT).

Just as sailors throw their cargo overboard to save a ship (Jonah 1:5; Acts 27:18, 19, 38), so must we jettison any sinful baggage that might keep us from eternal salvation (Matthew 5:29–30; Matthew 18:8–9; Mark 9:43–47). The devoted follower of Christ will give up anything and everything that might distract him from his real treasure. Like Paul, he will “consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

Recognizing there is “a time to keep and a time to throw away” means living with an eternal perspective. We may acquire things while on earth, but we must always be prepared to let them go. (END OF QUOTE)

If you've read down this far, you might like to know that Paulo did email me:

2 Aug 2022,

Dear Elizabeth,

 

I have managed to track down an identification for the fossil – it appears to be a gastropod called Straparollus

 

These water snails were alive in the Carboniferous Period, and it is probably around 315 million years old.

 

Many thanks for bringing it along to the Museum today – I hope you all enjoyed your visit!

 

Best regards,

 

Paolo

 

Paolo Viscardi

Deputy Keeper of Natural History