Ecclesiastes 12:10

 I have always thought we need more punctuation marks. One to show sarcasm for instance. As it is, we really only have three ways to end a sentence. Even those are fairly new. The question mark came about in the middle ages when scholars would write the Latin ‘quaestio’ at the end of a sentence to show that it was a question, which in turn was shortened to QO then to ?..  Yet a lot can be said with those. For example, when Victor Hugo wrote his publisher about the sales of his book Les Misérables, he simply wrote”?”. They responded “!”.    Years ago, I hear someone proclaim “ never put a question mark where God has put a period ”. That’s very good advice. Also, we might say don’t let what the Bible says is an Exclamation point become a question mark. Too many times we know what the Word says but our reaction to it puts a different spin on it. We react as if the Good News isn’t that at all.   As it is we would do well to remember the word of James ...

  Chances are this week you are in the midst of trying to get everything done before the holiday season. Buy the last-minute presents, wrap those gifts, get the Christmas dinner fixed, send out those ends of the year letters, clean up before guests arrive, gas up the car, make sure the travel plans are in place. It can be overwhelming.   Did I miss anything?   It reminds me of Martha in Luke 10. Frustrated not only by all she has to get done but also by a sister that isn’t helping. When she expresses her irritation to the Lord, he gives her an unexpected response. " Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary …”.   It was not her sister that made the mistake, it was her. She is missing out on what is most important because she focused on all the things that should come second.   Could we be doing the same thing?   This time of year should be a reminder of what matters most. Don’t let al...