When there is nothing left but time...

when I was a busy mother of younger children, I thought about time;specifically time on my hands to do nothing. Time to choose my activity. Time to be quiet, ice to be busy, time to fold the laundry nicely and neatly, time for a cup of coffee ( I don't drink it but it sounds like such a nice thing) and time to read a book.  Now, they are gone. It's only the dogs and laundry looking me the eye and they don't demand my time, just my love...and to let them I. Out of the cold weather so I can walk over them all day.
Today, I have time on my hands. I still can choose how to use my time. I love winter because in our life that's a time to refresh. We are not busy. It's too cold and crappy to work horses. We do chore, check them over and come back in where it's warm.
Today I can read a book, should clean the house and do laundry, need to paint a window decor, make a couple frames for my canvas, I am playing at the school twice today, but all of that is optional. I have things I can do today,,,but what will I choose.
On the other hand I have a friend who has nothing left but time on her hands. A brain tumor has left her with time, but nothing to do. She lies in bed thinking but cannot express her thoughts.
She is ready for heaven, but left here on earth. I cannot imagine, and yet I think I know what I would do with time on my hands but will I?
We choose how to fill our minutes and hours.  We choose to be busy or relax. We choose to have a sabbath or to live in a frenzy. We choose to take a nap to refresh. We choose to add one more thing because we can't say no. But when time is all we have left, what will our minds wish we had filled our time with?
I am choosing peace. I a, choosing to serve. I am choosing to love. I am choosing to care. I am choosing to play the song one more time and explain positions to a 9th grade band boy who didn't realize the piano player also played trumpet through college. I am choosing to overlook the words
said that hurt my heart and give them mercy instead. I am choosing to fill my time with things that when there is nothing left but time, I will have no regrets.

This is one of the dogs that are in my way helping me do laundry many years ago...am thankful she isn't lying on the laundry now....