Between Two Bookends

When Solomon sought to find the meaning of life, he found that those without God were just chasing the wind. “All was meaningless.” No matter how rich, how powerful, or how much was achieved in life, there was no meaning to life if God was not a part of it. 

     God gives each person a choice of what they want to place between the book-ends of their life. Will it be meaningless or meaningful?

    

 

Between Two Book-Ends

 

Pressed between two book-ends

Is a chasing after the wind,

With deeds of which people have sinned.

Solomon found life under the sun meaningless

And, without Christ, pointless!

All was folly and unwise

Without God within the vision of the eyes.

Between two book-ends

Is a need for sharing Christ with friends,

Something more than seen under the sun;

A working for treasure that can’t be undone,

A giving rather than a taking,

And a Godly work within the making.

Between two book-ends

Can be found despair or prayer,

Certain death or living breath.

Between two book-ends

Can be found a life of delight 

If lived right.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson 1/21/2026 

 

“There is no remembrance of men of old, and even those who are yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow.” Ecclesiastes 1:11 

 

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. Psalm 113:3 NIV 

More on Time

I posted about Time yesterday and wanted to follow up with my fun little rhyme. 

Time

 

The clock is ticking-

There’s no time for nit-picking.

It’s here today but gone in a wink-

Faster than I can blink;

Seconds, minutes, hours, days,

A trail left behind, I blaze.

What I did in yesterday’s hours

Brought polluted or wholesome showers.

What I will get done tomorrow

May leave happy thoughts or sorrow.

The clock is ticking-

Away, life is chipping;

A time to do or undo,

A time for good deeds, many or few,

A time I have known, grown, or blown. 

Time is fleeting upon this earth 

With only moments to show my worth.

Tick-tock,

Tick-tock,

Goes the clock.

So, throughout my prime and gray-haired days,

In every time-graced phase,

Let me honor God with all of my praise

Until earth’s time shall cease to be no more

And I enter Heaven’s door.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson  1/20/2026 

 

“To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 KJV

Time

Being retired, I often wake to think, "What will I do with my time today?" Then other days, I have so much I want to get done that I wonder, "Will l have time to do it all?" Time is here today, then gone, and back another day. It seems time is endless, but then time is gone before I know it. How does this make any sense? 

     There are a lot of quotes about time. Below are just a few. However, Ecclesiastes 3 provides the most valuable information. 

 

Time is money

Time is fleeting

Time heals all wounds 

Time waits for no man 

Time brings all things to pass

Time flies over us but leaves its shadow

 

     Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 KJV  “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to plunk up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance, a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose, a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, a time to sow; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”

  

     Ecclesiastes tells me all I need to know about time. What I ask myself is, “What is the time, and will I use it wisely?” 

More on time coming soon...

 

Seeking Guidance

 I have read this scripture hundred of times and am encouraged by God's promise. "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you." Psalm 32:8 

     The  writer of the In Touch devotional used it today to provide a few steps to take when seeking God's will. I know these steps but often forget to use them daily in my life. Therefore, I am placing them here in my blog as a reminder. They are: 
1. Be sure I have repented of known sin
2. Ask God for direction  
3. Read Scripture regularly with an open heart
4. Listen quietly for guidance from the Holy Spirit (with patience)
     The writer followed up with the explanation of being patient. Patience! I admit that this is not one of my strong suits, but I will try harder.

P.S. After listening to my pastor's sermon this morning, I feel the need to add a Big P. S. in reference to number four above. My pastor stated, "God has not become silent, but maybe we have become deaf." 

3 Devotionals Tied Together

I will attempt to tie my three morning devotionals together. The first one talked about gaining wisdom through wise choices in our trials and being refined into pure gold (gaining endurance and wisdom). The second talked about not serving two masters; of how you will love one and hate the other; (what you love most in life). The third was about redeeming the time; (making the most of every minute, hour, and day). 

     I suppose my best tie-in with all three is that time cannot be “stopped, delayed, reversed, lengthened, or shortened (per the writer)” so I have to use my time wisely to understand my trials, to gain wisdom through them, and let God’s love flow through me in the midst of my trial. During the mix, my time and purpose is to not let money be my goal but rather let God be my guide. In other words, "Love God first, then people, and only let money be a tool." All-in-all I need to understand that I am being refined into pure gold for Christ. 

     I especially enjoyed reading Job 23:10, “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” 

     I also like a quote by Robert M’Cheyne that one of the writer’s shared, “If you die wrong the first time, you cannot come back to die better a second time.”

If I Could Only Speak

When God spoke to Noah in Genesis 7, after the flood, He said, “Be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly in the earth, and multiply therein.” In Mark 10, Jesus spoke and said, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And He took them up in his arms...” 

     There is much to learn about the innocence of a little child. God instructed people to multiply the land and that comes with a responsibility to love and cherish the child and raise them in the admonish of God. Jesus also instructed us to come to him as a child.  

     I often think of the unborn child and how Jesus loves them, and actually wants the parent to love them, teach them, protect them, and learn from them, as well. The child deserves a voice!

      

If I Could Only Speak 

 

If I could speak,

I’d say,

Mom, I long for you to pinch my rosy cheek.

I want to feel your finger within my tiny fist;

For you to lift my hand and it be kissed.

I want to be heard;

For your love to be stirred. 

My heart beats within your womb.

I need you to nurture and help me bloom.

I long to be held in your arms

And be protected from life’s harms.

If I could speak, I’d say, 

If you should choose not to love me so,

I beg you, Mom, to let me grow.

I ask that you allow me life;

To be not taken by a lethal knife.

Mom, I’d rather be adopted than aborted,

Making my life lengthened and not shorted. 

If I could speak, I’d say,

Dear mummy, 

God placed me in your tummy.

I am alive and I feel-

So, to you I make my appeal. 

Please give me a chance to laugh and play;

To enjoy a God-graced day.

Momma-

If I could only speak...

Mary Crisp Jameson 1/16/2026 

 

 

Small but Big!

I read three devotionals this morning. One talked about being a light- a flicker or one that lights up a room. It talked about how even a small flame is strong enough to brighten a room. The second was about using our God-given gifts no matter how small and being responsible for making the best use of them. The third talked about when “little is much.” It gave the example of the widow who gave two mites. 

     Each of these three devotionals seemed to blend into one thought for me. I first thought of the song taught young children. “This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel? No!” 

     It only takes a simple, gifted smile to light up a room. Even if it is just a tiny flicker, let it shine! It could be just the thing needed to light up a heart. It may be “little but big” to someone else. It might only take a pie taken to a lonely person to light up their life. It might be a kind word to a disgruntled person which changes his heart. It could be laughter instead of anger that makes the difference. 

     My gifts may be small, but they can become Big!

More on Zachaeus

God does not forget his people. He notices and cares. Take, for example, a man who though wealthy was actually lonely, having few if any friends.  Jesus noticed! This man’s name was Zacchaeus. Note also that Jesus knew his name, his deeds, and his needs. 

 

Zacchaeus 

 

Zacchaeus, they say, was short among the crowd.

With height, he wasn’t endowed.

He was just a wee little man,

Though wealthy within the land,

For he cheated people by the tax he collected

And was government protected.

Just a sinful, wee little man was he

Who, Jesus, he wanted to see.

Though wealthy, Zacchaeus wasn’t too proud

To climb a tree among the crowd.

You might say, he went out on a limb,

Though only on a whim.

There in Jericho,

Sitting short and low,

Zacchaeus didn’t expect the spotlight,

As Jesus traveled within his sight.

But Jesus stopped, looked up, and said, 

“Zacchaeus, you come down right away,

For I’m going to your house today.”

Zacchaeus didn’t expect to be acknowledged while sitting there,

Nor did all the people who sent complaining words into the air.

Surprise! Was Zacchaeus’s reaction in that Sycamore, 

From the sin of cheating and stealing, he bore. 

Zacchaeus probably felt –

insecure because of his height and ignored in other’s sight,

angry and resented what the people vented, 

ashamed over the stealing for which he was blamed.

In a tree, sat a sinful guy,

But it was men like him, 

For which Jesus came to seek the lost and die.

 

Mary Crisp Jameson.  1/14/2026  

 

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10 NIV 

 

A "Wee" Little Person

“Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he.” He was short and not noticed, and although I am not short, I often feel unnoticed and “wee” because I am not pretty like many beautiful ladies, smart like some, even rich in the way of earthy things, not a great speaker or a good socializer. However, God does not see me as “wee”. God sees me as on equal ground with all His children. He created me for my own special quality. That is the beauty of God’s creations. It is not for me to compare myself with others or even expect to be noticed. It does not matter if I am “wee” among men. All I need do is love God, fulfill my created purpose and follow Jesus.

 

“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is

there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28

 

More on Zacchaeus coming soon... 

Study AND Obey

Food for Thought: I picked up my new Bible study book this week and am excited about getting back into the study of God's word; however, my devotional this morning pointed out something more for me to consider. The heading read, "Spiritual growth isn't based on how much you know. it's based on how much you obey." Then the writer gave John 8:31-32 (CEV) as the scripture, "If you keep on obeying what I have said, you truly are my disciples. You will know the truth, and truth will set you free."
     Along with Bible Study comes obedience! It appears to me that one is harder than the other, but it is a choice I must make daily, and the right choice comes with benefits; like love joy, peace...

Who is Jesus?

     In Matthew 16, Jesus asked, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Then He asked Simon Peter directly, “Who do you say I am?” 

     Simon answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

     Earlier in Matthew 3, God had already told who Jesus was. When Jesus was baptized, God’s voice came from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love.”

     In John 10, Jesus, Himself told us who when He said, “I am the gate for the sheep. Whoever enters through me will be saved.” 

     Jesus declared, “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” He went on to say, “I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” 

     Again Jesus identified who He was when he said, “I and the Father are One.”

     Should Jesus ask me directly who He was, I would answer. 

“Lord, You my Savior. 

You are my Shepherd. 

You are the Son of God. 

You are One with the Father. 

You are the One on whom I depend and my friend.

 

Eternal Life

I cannot buy it. It is freely given.

I cannot give it to another. Only One can. 

I cannot take it away. Once received, it cannot be taken away. 

I can get it...if I believe. 

 

Jesus came to do what no one else could do. He freely gave his life to give life. Once belief occurs, salvation is given, and it cannot be taken away. 

 

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His One and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

 

Falling Short

As I was reading about the grace of God and how immeasurable greater He is than my failings, I thought of the verse, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

     Next, I pondered how I had fallen short in just a very few days of the new year, 2026. It just takes little, very little things to fall short. But thankfully God is patient and loving over the many little things as well as the big things. 

     In fact, I fell short in just the early morning hours of the very first day. I was cooking my traditional black-eye peas and cabbage, busy stirring around in the kitchen and had completed forgotten about checking the peas. When I did, I found they had boiled dry. No! Not just dry, but the bottom layer had scorched to the boiler. It just popped out! My first ugly word in 2026! It was just a little thing, but had I fallen short?

     The second day started off with thoughts of what I would do, maybe something good for someone else. I noticed an unopened Christmas card sticking out of my purse that needed to be delivered to a close relative at the assisted living facility. That would certainly cheer her up! However, when I got dressed, I dressed for yard work instead of visitation purposes. Why not? It was the first beautiful, warm day we’d had in while. The card could wait until tomorrow. I wanted to be outside! Had I fallen short? You know like, my desires over others! It was just a little thing and my excuse was that visitation could wait until tomorrow. 

     Little things and big things- I am so glad God is patient and loving with me. It reminds me of the verse, “My grace is sufficient for you, ...in your weakness.”

 

 

 

 

Sow in 2026

2026 woke me up early today and shouted out for me to get up and “Sow.” I suppose this will be my resolution for the year.

Sow:     S eeds of kindness and goodwill

Sow:     O bedience to my Lord and Savior

Sow:      W arm-hearted love to others  

 

“...For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap...and let us not be weary in well-doing...” Galatians 6:7b, 9a 

Happy New Year to all my readers!

P.S. I just read Today's Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah and felt the need to share what the writer wrote about the Resolve to Exercise. He quoted, "Your priorities must be God first, God second, and God third, until your life is continually face-to-face with God." 

     I add to that, "Sow...I need to reach for my Bible and/or devotional first thing each morning." Another good resolution...