<div>The Labor Day weekend is almost upon us. Many are counting down the hours to a three day weekend. Some are headed to the beach, others to the lake, others to sit back and relax and enjoy the first weekend of college football season.</div> <div> </div> <div>Hopefully, you'll get at least a day of needed rest from your labor. That is the point after all, and we need it all the more in our crazy, busy world. With that in mind, I wanted to share a short poem with you. Read it, if you have the time. It's called <em>"Mad Dash."</em></div> <div> </div> <div><em>This is the age</em></div> <div><em>Of the half-read page.</em></div> <div><em>And the quick hash</em></div> <div><em>And the mad dash.</em></div> <div><em>The bright night</em></div> <div><em>With the nerves tight.</em></div> <div><em>The plane hop</em></div> <div><em>With the brief stop.</em></div> <div><em>The lamp tan</em></div> <div><em>In a short span.</em></div> <div><em>The Big Shot</em></div> <div><em>In a good spot.</em></div> <div><em>And the brain strain</em></div> <div><em>The heart pain.</em></div> <div><em>And the cat naps</em></div> <div><em>Till the spring snaps--</em></div> <div><em>And the fun's done!</em></div> <div> </div> <div>Sound familiar? Sounds like someone has captured busy life in the 21st century in a few short words. But wait! This poem was actually published in T<em>he Saturday Evening Post</em>in 1949, under the title "Time of the Mad Atom." Seems that people then felt the same about their rushed and hurried schedules as we do now.</div> <div> </div> <div>It's been sixty-six years since that poem was written. We have more gadgets to occupy our rapidly decreasing attention span, and more items to fill up our calendar, so that it always seems like we have to keep all the plates spinning just to make it through the day. Certainly, life has never been busier. Or has it?</div> <div> </div> <div>The truth is, everybody's got plenty on their plate--and we always have! But there is an answer to our stressed out lives. To those of us who are overwhelmed by our busy lifestyles, our Lord Jesus extends the following invitation: "Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest....rest for your souls." (Matt. 11:28-29)</div> <div> </div> <div>Like King David in days of old, may you truly find rest in God alone (Psalm 62:1) in the midst of the busy-ness of your business this week. Have a blessed weekend. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.</div> <div>--Pastor Ken</div> <p>]]</p>