An Author’s Untimely Passing and Some Laundry

By Jennifer Redmond, Communications Director

The passage of time is relentless. We know this reality, and yet we so often forget it, behaving as if time slows to our demands, as if by ignoring it, we can press “pause.”

But, the delivery of some tragic news recently jolted me from this forgetfulness. In the middle of an ordinary Tuesday, while sorting laundry, I read that a young author had unexpectedly died. Though I knew she had been sick, with the over confidence of youth, I assumed she would quickly recover. But on this day, I read that she had not recovered, she had, in fact, died; she was only 37. This author had two children close in age to my own, and I learned this news while I was putting away their baby clothes, ones that they had quickly outgrown, seemingly overnight. That whole morning, with laundry strewn about me, I had already been thinking, “Where does the time go?”

Now, with this jolting news, I was faced with a second question, of more importance: “If we can’t control time, then what am I doing with the time I have?” I know this response is cliché, but that doesn’t lessen its significance.

I shouldn’t have been shocked. Ecclesiastes 11 tells us that “youth and the prime of life are fleeting” (vs. 10) and that we should “remember our Creator in the days of [our] youth” (12:1). Psalm 90:12 reads, “Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” And Ephesians 5:8-10 gives some examples of “numbering our days” saying we should “live as children of light—for the fruit of the light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth—testing what is pleasing to the Lord.”

So, part of the shock I felt was also the realization of conviction; I knew that I had not been redeeming my days as well as I should have been. How many hours a day do I waste on social media? How many days do I squander through laziness or lack of planning? How many opportunities might I miss to share God’s truth with my children because of complacency? How many days do I fill with frantic busyness while neglecting the importance of Sabbath and restful times with the Lord and my family?

My point is to say “pay attention;” Ephesians 5 goes on to say exactly this in verses 15 to 16: “Pay careful attention, then, to how you live—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil.”

Perhaps, we can each find ways to incorporate tangible reminders into our lives so that in the midst of the daily grind and rushings around, we have something in front of us that reminds us to “number our days” and to ask the Lord to guide us towards wise, redemptive activities—ones that will make us more like Him, and ones that will encourage those around us to seek Him more.

My prayer is that these thoughts might spur you on to further good works in ways that are mindful of eternity.

“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2

About the Author                                                              
 Along with her husband Josh and three kids, Jennifer has been attending and serving with Gospel Community since it’s earliest days. She is thrilled to have recently joined the GCR staff in a more established role as the Communications Director and is blessed to see God’s work in and through this church body. Coffee, the band Shane & Shane, and mountain views are some of her most favorite things.