Eternal Perspective

Each morning this year, I'm taking a little extra time in my morning prayers and scripture reading to become acquainted with some Christians from the past. I found an old (1959) edition of Butler's Lives of the Saints while living in Lompoc, California. At a Thrift Store--that was having a sale! Five books for $1. I got these because I had some book shelves that needed filling, and these looked good. This was in my tearoom days, and I was way to busy to read these old-fashioned books. There is a time for everything. Now, I have time. And I have more of an awareness of how quickly time passes. How do I fill my time. I listen to the concerns of others and I think about my own concerns, and sometimes I feel we overlook the big picture, maybe the most important part. This morning I ran across this advice from St. Augustine:

"Not only think of the road through which thou art travelling, but take care never to lose sight of the blessed country in which thou art shortly to arrive. Thou meetest here with passing sufferings, but will soon enjoy everlasting rest. In order to labour with constancy and cheerfulness, consider the reward."

I might say something like, don't sweat the small stuff, the best is yet to come. But I like the way St. Augustine said it, back in the A.D. 400's. He had a way with words.