A Hill of Beans

“I don’t like beans.”

My son and daughter swore they did not like beans of any kind as kids. Green beans. Navy beans. Pinto beans. I reasoned, “How can you know whether you like a food until you try it? The next time we have beans, you will taste them.”

Resolved to have a taste test, I simmered a pot of pinto “soup” beans. With Sprite in one hand and a spoon in the other, ever so carefully, the kids put one pinto bean in their mouth.

Chewing and swallowing with unpleasant faces, gulping a drink lickety-split. “I don’t like beans, Mom.” Well then. Now I know that Megan and Caleb do not like pinto beans.

I realized there are types of beans I do not like. Things bringing unpleasant faces, hard to swallow.

I have bickered about issues that amount to a hill of beans. Anxious thoughts filled my mind with problems I discovered were not worth a hill of beans. Equating to virtually nothing in the grand scheme of life. Time wasted.

My friend Debbie teaches at a university. Insightful, she was relaying how people in the academic world have letters of abbreviations that follow their name. College degrees, titles, certifications in a field of study or credentials indicating the position they hold.

MD, PhD, RN, CPA, MBA and CEO bring well-deserved merit to names and recognition to people. The background of such achievements is hard-working and diligent people.

Because it is a great deal of time and effort, I want the full credit for holding a bachelor’s degree in communications. In writing, if one day I am blessed to list a book title after my name, I will be grateful for the honor. Like most aspirations, writing is hard work and takes a substantial amount of time.

The pursuit of academic studies and credentials is commendable. While they are honorable in this life, they are temporary earthly accolades.

This life quickly fades. Our time on earth is short. In our last moments of life, titles that follow our name in the present will fade ever-so-quickly in the future.

My sister-in-law, Michele, reminds friends and family to consider all things in an eternal perspective. Does this really matter in light of eternity? Sometimes it does, often it does not.

Time spent on things with eternal value equate to a significance in this life and in the next life.

I aspire to reach all degree levels of study from the University of Eternal Significance.

• Associate’s Degree: an Associate of Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God.
• Bachelor’s Degree: BA, graduate of the Blessed Assurance Program. Jesus is mine.
• Master’s Degree: MA, graduate of the Master’s Advancement Program. Christ becomes greater, I become less.
• PhD: A doctoral study in the existence of heaven and relaying the philosophy of truth to others. A recruiting program for the university.

I’m learning to spend my time and focus in life on things worth more than a hill of beans. Not bickering over the unimportant issues. Not spending precious time in worry and anxiety. But giving these areas to the Lord.

We have a hill country awaiting us with much richer and exquisite delicacies.

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything. Deuteronomy 8:7-9

Friends, the time is now. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Psalm 34:8

 

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