Time for Everything

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King Solomon had it all, according to the way many men define “it all” — power, wealth, beautiful women . . . . And on top of that, he was the wisest person anywhere around with the rich and powerful coming to learn from him.

After trying “it all,” King Solomon came to a profound conclusion, which he wrote down in the last verses of Ecclesiastes. We should take the conclusion of this wise man deeply to heart. We should also teach it to our children:

The conclusion, when all has been heard, is:
fear God and keep His commandments,
because this applies to every person.
For God will bring every act to judgment,
everything which is hidden,
whether it is good or evil.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

My little Sunday School class of almost 2- to 6-year-olds is studying the books of the Old Testament. Each week we simply learn some of the highlights of the next book we come to. Yesterday it was time for Ecclesiastes. I had been looking forward to it because I had decided to repeat an activity our children did as a homeschool project many years ago.

As a minister’s family, we always had godly senior citizens in our lives. For this project, our children created a puppet show illustrating Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 for a monthly meeting of our church’s Golden Agers. Yesterday my little class acted the verses out along with puppets. I thought you might enjoy seeing our mostly-vintage props, in case you would like to do the same in a family devotional. If I have included a photo after a line of the passage below, the children and puppets used those to illustrate the line. If there is no photo, the children simply acted out the line.

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

Our decades-year-old cardboard Current clock represented time.
The Current cardboard clock represented time.

A time to give birth and a time to die;

Our decades-year-old Fisher Price rattle baby represented birth.
The Fisher Price rattle baby represented birth. 

A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

A make-believe packet of seeds and a silk flower in a football player pot.
A make-believe packet of seeds and a silk flower in a football player pot.

A time to kill . . . 

Actually, I left our cheaply-made retractable flyswatter at home, so we used a book to "swat a fly," which represented a time to kill.
Actually, I left our cheaply-made retractable flyswatter at home, so we used a book to “swat a fly,” which represented a time to kill.

. . . and a time to heal;

A healing bandage.
A healing bandage.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to tear down and a time to build with our children's very old wooden blocks.
Wooden alphabet blocks.

A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;

I gave strict instructions that we wouldn't actually throw stones but just pretend.
As you can imagine, I gave instructions that we wouldn’t actually throw stones but just pretend.

A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A crumpled napking to throw away.
A crumpled napkin to throw away.

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;

Cut a little slit in fabric and it is easy for children to tear. My needle is plastic.
Nip the fabric about an inch beforehand to get them started and a child can tear a piece of fabric. My needle is plastic.

A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate;

A long-past Valentine gift represented love.
A pink-gingham heart pillow represented love.

A time for war and a time for peace.

Our decades-old Tonka jeep represented war.
The Tonka jeep represented war.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Time for everything? Most homeschooling mamas I know wonder how to fit it all in; and the worry about fitting “it all” in is a real joy stealer for many a mama — including this one. But, when I stop and realize what is truly most important, I know that I must redefine “it all.” Solomon’s statement is true.

There is an appointed time for everything. 
And there is a time for every event under heaven— 
Ecclesiastes 3:1

One key to believing that truth is to do — and trust — what Jesus said:

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, 
and all these things will be added to you.
So do not worry about tomorrow; 
for tomorrow will care for itself. 
Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:33-34 

 

 

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