Would someone please call “timeout?” (standard:Inspirational stories, 907 words)
Author: Godspenman	Added: Sep 24 2012	Views/Reads: 3038/3	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
I just realized that summer is now over. Where in the world did it go?

I just realized that summer is now over. Where in the world did it go? 

In fact, that is a very good question. Where does the summer go when it
leaves? Is there some place that summer, winter, spring and fall go to 
chill out? When they get there, what in the world are they doing? 

Someone suggested, and I will not divulge any names only to say they
live in the same residence I do, that as a person gets older time goes 
faster. I absolutely resemble that comment. 

This past week I finally adjusted myself to my summertime schedule. I do
not know about anybody else, but it takes me a long time to get into a 
new schedule. 

While I am thinking about it, who in the world invented these seasons?
Why didn't they let a good thing go? I would much have preferred that 
we simply divide our time by day or night. If it is dark, for example, 
it has to be night. And, if the sun is up and it is shining and bright, 
it must be day. I could live with something like that. At least I would 
know what time it really was. 

I was actually wallowing in a hopeless spirit of despondency. What is a
person to do? 

Then something rather strange happened. One of my friends was playing
football and his first game was on a Saturday morning. I thought maybe 
the distraction might cheer me up a little bit and encourage me to keep 
on keeping on. 

I cannot remember the last time I was at a football game. Of course that
does not mean too much, I cannot remember what I had for lunch 
yesterday. It was good to get into a different venue, and air out my 
soul. 

Then it hit me. No, not the football, although that might have helped to
a certain degree. But a thought hit me, which is just about as rare as 
being hit by a football at a football game. 

I had just gotten into the spirit of watching the game when all of a
sudden I heard a whistle and a coach yelled, “Timeout.” At that moment 
everything stopped. I looked at the clock on the scoreboard and it had 
stopped. I had forgotten about this little quirk in football. 

The clock did not start and the game did not commence until the coach
yelled, “play ball.” Or something to that effect. 

That got me thinking. If they can do that for football, why can't we do
that for life? After all, life is far more important than a football 
game. Who is that coach that yells, “Timeout,” and everybody stops? 
What kind of authority does he have? 

We need to bring this kind of thinking into life in general. It seems to
me that everything in life is thought out in great detail except 
actually living life. Football has been well thought out and is 
comprised of rules and regulations. Baseball the same. Hockey... Well 
maybe not so much hockey. Most games are well thought out, have rules 
to live by, and if something isn't going the way it is supposed to go, 
the coach has the privilege of yelling “Timeout.” 

How many times could I have used this little rule in my life? 

Wouldn't it be nice to stop life when you have made an inappropriate
remark, maybe you said something to your wife that came out the wrong 
side of your mouth. I have done that many a times. I think it would be 
rather nice if when I realize what I have just said, to be able to yell 
“Timeout.” Then do it over again. 

The other day one of my checks from my checking account bounced. That
would have been a perfect time to yell “timeout” and redo the whole 
thing. 

There are so many things in life that could benefit from this one little
thing called “timeout.” I suggest that we began implementing this into 
our daily life. After all, our daily life is much more important than a 
football game, a hockey game, or a baseball game. I think whenever 
something goes awry we should have the privilege to stop it right in 
its tracks and do it over again. It does not matter how many times we 
have to do it over again, we continue doing it over until we get it 
right. 

It would make life more exciting if I knew that if I made a mistake I
could call “Timeout,” do a do-over, and make everything right. 

I think we need to have a very stern conversation with good old Father
Time. He is so much a stickler for time marching on. But sometimes you 
get tired of marching and need to sit down and take a breather. Then 
sometimes, you need to change the direction in which you are marching. 
It is not so bad the time marches on but when it needs to turn around 
and march the other way that is a completely different story. 

In thinking further along this line, I discovered God already has a
“Timeout” plan. I found it in 1 John 1:9 (KJV), “If we confess our 
sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us 
from all unrighteousness.” 

With this in mind, I certainly want to take full advantage of God's
“Timeout” plan. 


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