What's it all about Alfie?

I have been watching a couple of old people for awhile now and I notice their patterns of life seldom change. They get up at the same time and go do bed at the same time everyday. He on his side of the bed and her on her side of the bed they settle in. On his side of the bed is a glass of water to wet his dry mouth and on her side a tissue to dab her wet nose. The snoring becomes so loud, he has to wake her to have her turn over. They rise now with a build in alarm clock, usually the aches and pains from the long night. Six o’clock, hip pain, seven o’clock back pain, seven thirty…. Other forces take over! Whoever arrives in the kitchen first puts on the coffee and lets the dogs out, he makes his way out to get the newspaper. Coffee is done so both settle in their perspective places to read while sipping. He, usually being the first one up to get on the computer, offers to refill her cup as both enjoy the second cup of jo! She hollers in to see if there is any news of the kids or grandkids on Facebook. He fills her in on all that is new. Tuesday is garbage day, so out they go lugging a weeks worth of trash. HELLO! ARE YOU STILL AWAKE? I am only on Tuesday!

Many years ago, when I was a new Christian, I came across the book of Ecclesiastes one day and had to share it with Larry. We wondered what in the world this book was doing in the bible. By the second verse the author was saying “Vanities of Vanities all is vanity!” Other versions of the bible say “Futility, futility all is futile”, the NIV says “Meaningless, Meaningless all is meaningless”. Wow, can anybody say PROZAC!

Most people think that this book was written by King Solomon, son of King David when he was an old man. I think the wise King Solomon must have experienced one of those "Tuesdays" in his life. I think all of us has such days when, as we from the sixties, might ask “What’s it all about…Alfie?“ Unlike Solomon, most of us have never had the money or the opportunity to search for that, at times, elusive happiness. Most of us have dreamed of….. “If I had a lot of money I would……! I would do good things for people! Solomon did that but it did not bring him lasting happiness. I would travel, yep that would be me! Solomon did that, nope no lasting happiness there either. I would get wiser, go to great places to learn all I could learn….uh uh, Solomon says “Been there, done that!” “All is MEANINGLESS”! In fact, Solomon is the ultimate “Been there, done that!“ Now how could that be?

Sometimes I wonder if about a million dollars fell from the sky would I come back saying as Solomon “I did all I could do, under the sun” but all is vanity? The phrase “under the sun” is found 29 times in this small book hiding between Proverbs and Song of Songs and is found nowhere else in the old testament. “Life under the sun“, means life here on earth apart from God. Solomon found himself with all of the latest gadgets, the best chariot that money could buy and everything he could gather from the world's best but still he bemoaned Ah, I think I see what Solomon was trying to get at in his, not so happy book! We must stay focused on the giver of gifts not the gifts. We need to find Him in the adventures of life as well as the “Tuesdays” of life and never let go of the fact that all is MEANINGLESS, MEANINGLESS apart from God.

Oh, and that poor old couple I spoke of earlier just got a message from one of their kids asking “What’s going on with you guys today?” to which a swift reply went out….. “Got my hair colored pink to match the new Harley we bought and Dad and I are on the way to get piercings and a tattoo! No word back on that yet! Can we all say NURSING HOME! Have a great day everyone, UNDER THE SON!