Watch This...

I ask someone what time it was the other day. They searched their pockets for 30 seconds before saying "Sorry dude. Left my phone in the car." Doesn't anyone wear a watch anymore? I don't but then I never did. If you can't tell time what's the point....

I was 6 when Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. I don't think I was all that aware of what was happening or that it was a big deal. I was 6. For all I knew we landed there all the time. I paid more attention to Apollo 17 in 1972 and knew all about it. I was much more aware. After all, I was 9 now.

I never wanted to be an astronaut. It was much too dangerous and I didn't like Tang. But really, who did? It tasted like bland orange swill and the only reason we'd be caught drinking it was 'cause the astronauts drank it. I bet even THEY didn't drink it. They probably had a fifth of liquor in each of those space suit pockets.

No, I wanted to one of the guys behind the scenes. Like the engineers. Or the guys in Mission Control. You remember them. As the camera pans the room you see a hundred guys behind a hundred tv monitors watching who knows what through those black Drew Cary glasses. All of them had a white shirt with a loosened tie and a sports coat hanging over their chair, chain smoking cigarettes and rubbing they forehead. Way cool.

I was thinking about those guys today. They've all got to be retired by now right? Retired or dead from lung cancer. I want one of those jobs now. Not because of the work itself but because of the job security. Gone are the days I guess of starting with a company and sticking around for 40 years. Then they throw you a party, give you a gold watch and boot you out the door. That's livin'!

I always wondered- why a gold watch? Did it mean "times up, get out" or more like "now you have time, time in your golden years to do all the things you wanted to do (or should have done) when you were younger. I hope it's the latter.

Here's something else I hope. That I don't wait for the gold watch to start doing something with my time. It's not that having a watch magically GIVES you time but maybe it just helps you manage it better. To use it to love those around you. To give my time to make sure someone knows they matter is a great use of that precious resource God has entrusted me with. I hope I'm smart enough to do it.

Some day I get to retire from this life. I don't think it comes with a watch. I'll stand before my Dad and He'll say "Nice job son, welcome home."By the way, do you know what time it is?" I'll search my pockets (I never did get used to a watch) and come up empty. But that's ok. Who needs time when you have forever?