"Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it."-- Henry David Thoreau

Here's one for you to think about. What if you only had 24 hours to live. What would you do? It's Wednesday, July 15, 2015 and that's a hashtag question (#IfIOnlyHad24HoursIWould) that was put up on Twitter the other day. It received many responses. Some attempted to be funny while others were a little more serious about it. Here's a sampling of some of the postings: ~ Take as many selfies as possible. ~ Fly to the place I was happiest in life. Sit there with my fave poetry, drinking whiskey and listening to Chopin. ~ Take out a loan, buy a corvette and see how far I could get down route 66. ~ No doubt spend it on hold with Verizon Customer Service.~ Stop eating kale and only eat donuts. ~ Spend it with my in laws because it would be the longest 24 hours ever. ~ Chuck more wood than a woodchuck could chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood. ~ Spend them with my kids. ~ Ask for forgiveness and forgive those who hurt me...hey, I can do that right now. Ok, I'd eat all kinds of tacos!!! ~ Visit a foreign country like maybe Texas. ~ What would your answer be? There's actually something akin to this in the Bible. The Old Testament Prophet Amos was inspired to challenge his people with this word from the Lord: "Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel; Because I will do this to you, Prepare to meet your God, O Israel." (Amos, Chapter 4, Verse 12) I didn't see any responses that mentioned God but we all know that we do need to be ready at all times. Amen. 

Okay. I do enjoy reading some of these hashtag deals. They are like a distraction. I do notice something. If one is put up that requires a little thought you get very few young faces on their Twitter handle. For instance, one the other day was coming up with sitcoms in Medieval days. Stuff like instead of Happy Days it would be Happy Knights, Are you being severed? instead of Are you being served? Are you smarter than a crusader? instead of Are you smarter than a 5th grader? Instead of Leave it to Beaver it would be Leave it to the Beheadings. Stuff like that. Dozens of them. However, no young faces. They are all over anything about games, music, or the latest pop stars. Maybe the word Medieval stumped them. I will agree that the Inquisition and other forms of torture and conquest are not necessarily that interesting to poke fun at, they are, however, a part of our history, and while I'm not altogether clear on the 100% overlay, we do know that in one way or another, the quote does have some application: "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." This quote is typically identified as having been spoken by Sir Winston Churchill, however, it cannot be found in any of his actual preserved quotations or his written archives. Here's a certain source, "Progress, far from consisting in change, depends on retentiveness. When change is absolute there remains no being to improve and no direction is set for possible improvement: and when experience is not retained, as among savages, infancy is perpetual. Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."  That excerpt is from the 5 volume work, 'The Life of Reason' written by George Santayana and published 1905-1906.

Those archivists who are Churchill experts can come up with speeches where the theme included some thoughts that reflect this sentiment, but no direct quote. And, the sentiment itself has been around since humanity has breathed air on the planet. We see it played out time and time again in the Bible. In fact, just last Wednesday our Bible study looked at the influence that Joshua had on the nation of Israel and how that his contemporaries and their children were faithful to God. The next generation, however, did not grasp all that God had done and soon they turned their backs on Him and began serving false gods. The consequences were catastrophic. Like I say, the concept is as old as time itself. I don't have to point at others when it comes to identifying with those who are slow learners. I've exercised that option enough in my own sojourn here to know that as a reality, up close and personal. Right now our nation may also be entering into a very forgetful period and the consequences could be very serious. Just a few thoughts thrown out for your consideration. Take care now, you hear? See you next time. Lord willing. May He bless us all. Amen. ....More later.