Clouds Reflecting the Sun in Time Lisa A. Wisniewski
The past week has had its share of pleasant and unpleasant weather, clear and cloudy skies, and temperatures between 20°F in the early morning hours to 62°F in the afternoon hours. All these changes occurred in somewhat of a pattern throughout the week.
During my runs and bike rides, I found myself sweating one day, freezing the next. Not one to be deterred by temporary discomfort, I forged ahead through the miles. (Though I must admit the one cold day when I could not feel my feet made me wonder about my sanity.)
Time and Change
These changes around me made me consider other changes in life and how the intangible element of time has the power to change the tangible things in life. Through time, we age, learn, grow, mature, and become who we are. Time also plays a part in our relationships with others and our activities.
Sunset Coming to Life Lisa A. Wisniewski
We use time as a way to measure progress, success, failure, and abilities. So many events in life are time-dependent (or at least that is what we tell ourselves). We runners base a lot of our performance aspects on time, how long it takes to reach a certain distance, how many days we run or train, what time of day we work out, etc.
Time and Again
So this little four letter word is very important throughout life for us. We may not recognize it in every aspect of life, but time is with us whether or not we want it to be. The clock keeps ticking and the world keeps turning despite how we feel, what we think, or with whom we relate.
The cycle of time means different things to each of us. Some of us prefer the morning hours, others are night owls. Some of us use time to help us and others feel time working against them constantly. Time keeps coming at us from all directions, and we either embrace its offerings, or despise what it lays before us.
Stellar Skies in Time Lisa A. Wisniewski
Time and Faith
Personally, I feel time has offered me many blessings in the long term. Time has allowed me to gain wisdom, perspective, and understanding. It has also allowed me to deepen my faith and given me some amazing experiences while running, biking, and doing other activities.
I have come to realize that time and faith are a powerful pair when used wisely or when shared with others. This duo has gotten me out of more difficult situations than I care to admit, has provided hope for me in some very dark hours, and has allowed me to rise above circumstances and even beat a few statistical odds deemed undoable by others.
Time and Activities
We often portion our activities into sections of time, giving ourselves X hours to work, Y hours to sleep, and Z hours to play. Since I discovered the benefits of running and biking age 14, I have spent a great deal of hours granted to me in life doing these activities. How this will affect me physically in the long term has yet to be determined, but from what I have seen over the years, the benefits far outweigh negative aspects.
Skies Full of Hope Granted Through Faith in Time Lisa A. Wisniewski
About five years ago, I started spending more time reading spiritual reflections and the Bible. Through the years, I have noticed a positive change in my thoughts, actions, and reactions to life around me. Though I should often be doing other things, I have found that spending as little as five minutes a day doing this activity has been most helpful.
My observations lead me to believe the amount of time spent doing a certain activity may or may not be proportional to the benefits received. This illustrates the power of the little word time and the depth, width, and breadth it possesses within life.
Time and the Journey
Life is a journey full of time. How we spend our time and view the unknown paths play a part in our progress on this journey. In order to fully experience time, we must encounter pleasant and unpleasant, favorable and unfavorable, easy and challenging moments. The variety offered in these moments builds character, strength, and wisdom along the way. May the time granted to us lead us to our desired destination.
Time and Inspiration
The following poem was inspired by changes in the skies observed during my time running and biking this past week.
Stellar Sunset in the West Lisa A. Wisniewski
Under the Skies God Makes
Created anew each morning by nature’s ways
The skies stretch out before thee by God’s grace
Full of colors that dip and sway
As the sun lifts its face
Spreading light throughout the atmosphere
To help guide the soul past its fears
And the shadows that may fall
As life goes on with the spirit’s call
To rise above and move beyond
What has come and gone
In the sea of time full of waves
Under the skies God makes.
Sun Glowing Gold in the Distance Lisa A. Wisniewski
Sun in the distance glowing gold
As the clouds run and unfold,
Creating a woven work of art
As God brings forth His blessings from afar
Dispersed through the colors flowing
In the stellar showing
Of love, hope, and faith
As the light comes to create
Perspective and wisdom
Of the reflections in the distance
Allowing the mind, body, and soul
To find itself as life unfolds
Within the moments granted to thee
Full of nature’s enchanting chemistry
In the nights and days
Under the skies God makes.
White Clouds in Blue Sea Lisa A. Wisniewski
White clouds amid the blue expanse
Moving about as time commands,
Ebbing and flowing with the breeze
Blowing through the trees
And across the landscape
As God creates
Each moment for a reason
Within the reach of each season
Given unto life itself
Through the risen Savior’s help
Emanating in the light of the sun
Creating life as it comes
From heaven to earth below
Giving worth once unknown
To little sights and ways
Under the skies God makes.
-Lisa A. Wisniewski
Time and Color Swirling in the Sky Lisa A. Wisniewski
