Louisiana Sundown “You may delay, but time will not.” Benjamin Franklin It was 1994 and I had blown it. I disappointed my friend and missed a precious moment given from God. A window of opportunity had opened and I pulled down the shade! I was a professor at a University in Tennessee and my dear friend Quanita lived in Mississippi. We had not let the many miles between us interfere with our relationship as we stayed contact through the years. Yet, Quanita had cancer and it was making its mark on her body. Her last arduous bout with chemotherapy left her with a raspy voice and deflated spirit. Quanita ached to see an old familiar friend. I flew to Louisiana to celebrate Christmas with my family. While there, Quanita called and asked if I could come see her. My ears perked up at the sound of my dear friend’s voice. What a grand idea! I loudly blurted, “Of course!” We quickly confirmed the details and before we clicked off I affirmed I would see her shortly. Ten days. One would think in that brief period I would have made the time to see my dear friend. With vigor, the holidays passed and not a day escaped without a stir in my spirit distinctly reminding me to see Quanita. Yet, I procrastinated. He Sent Them Out by Two's My return trip to Tennessee was just a few days away and I still had not visited Quanita. After wrestling with the map I rationalized it would be too difficult to fit in a ten hour drive to Mississippi. Reluctantly, I called and apologized for turning down her gracious invitation. But, like giggling schoolgirls, we eagerly etched a date in our calendars to be together the following summer. Four months later, I felt a sharp pain shot to my heart as I was being informed the terrible news about my close friend. Her body had given out, she had passed away in the night. With tears streaming my face, my thoughts immediately traced back to the cancelled trip. I bemoaned my shallow decision not to visit her that day. Why did I succumb to procrastination and not the Spirit of God? How could I have allowed the busyness of life interfere with God’s will? Regret sank my spirit like the Titanic ship. There was no saving it. God, knowing Quanita’s exact days on earth, had given me one last time with my friend and I simply blew it. Her name remains in my address book as it’s set apart by stained teardrops smudging the area. It serves as a reminder of God’s “divine appointments” in our lives. It’s a place of conviction to me, much like when the disciples couldn't stay awake to “watch and pray” for their Lord. Do you remember the scene? It was the hour of destiny - the moment Christ needed the disciples “to be there” for him. Scripture states, “his soul was overwhelmed with sorrow - even to the point of death." There was no relief in sight and at that moment he knelt to talk to his Father – the only one who would not leave him. After Christ prayed, He returned to the disciples. What a sight to his blood shot eyes, weary heart and body. Instead of pounding heaven’s throne room on his behalf, he found them snoring away among the rocks without a care in the world. Christ felt deep frustration and hurt at His disciples; they just didn’t get it. They had missed the point entirely. Didn’t they realize what was about to occur? The brutal physical pain Jesus was about to experience on the cross couldn’t match the agonizing anguish Christ felt in His spirit. Yet a crushed reed He will not break and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish (Isaiah 42:3, NIV). Unfortunately, I am not alone in missing the mark. The disciples misinterpreted Christ’s teachings and power, doubted and denied Him, and simply lacked faith. These original disciples did not set out to wound Christ. But they did. I never intended to miss such a precious moment with my friend. But I did. As Christians, we often fall short of the mark; however, this makes the gift of God’s grace more remarkable and valuable. When our shortcomings are glaringly visible, God’s grace is gently magnified. At these moments we become acutely aware of our humanity and dependency on God – that isn’t all bad. In humility and through failure, I have learned to seize each moment and not miss the mark. Life's Greener on the Other Side of the Fence Friend, when a window of opportunity appears, don’t pull down the shade. Embrace it. Walk in God’s light and avoid the dark pain of delayed decisions. “Lost time is never found again.”