Cat's in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin (lyrics by Sandra Chapin).

"And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."


No one on their death bed will say "I wish I had spent more time in the office." Most will admit that time spent there was of no value to their life. In fact, that time can cost you your life.

Fates of some well-known and powerful people from 1923, and what their status was 55 years later: President of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper. President of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane and was put in an asylum for the rest of his life. President of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from a long prison sentence and died at home a short while later. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Rivermore, shot himself. The winner of the 1923 U.S. Open and PGA Championship, Gene Sarazan, passed away in 1999 at the age of 97.

Another fact: Over three quarters of the 100 largest U.S. firms 70 years ago are no longer on the list.

Type-A people climb the corporate ladder, but seem to fall harder.

II spend alot of time at work. I am on my second career. Both have been successful, yet I know the time spent there is worthless unless I spend it for the Lord. As a consultant, I was in between assignments, when one of the sales people asked me what I 'really' wanted to do. Without missing a beat, I said "I want to spend my time at Gentle Ministries." Tears filled her eyes when she said "I know you do." She asked the question because she wanted to find the perfect assignment for me. I already had the perfect assignment and I was not spending as much time on it as I wanted or should. We devote the largest part of our lives providing for the needs of the flesh.

How much is enough? How much should we sacrifice to reach that elusive goal of comfort. How long can we justify the time spent serving mammon? A little more and we can finally get the house that we "need".

"I am doing this for our children's future." I said that while my children were young. Now they are grown and I cannot get those lost years back. Will they ever forgive me? My youngest son's first words were "Daddy go work." I cried when I heard them. Comfort is an arbitrary state of being.

One hundred years ago 50 to 55 degrees was considered a good house temperature. Fireplaces provided the heat in those days. When stoves came into use, about 90 years ago, the temperature rose to 62 degrees. With the increasing use of furnaces, some 50 years ago, a heat of 72 degrees was quite usual. Today a temperature of 72 degrees is considered standard, but we have added central air-conditioning. Air-conditioning is not available to the majority of the world's inhabitants. Many still heat with wood...or dung.

Please read the following and then explain your need for your current or perceived level of comfort. Matthew 6:19-34
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. Don't justify all your hard work in the office by saying you "need" something. Admit it for what it is.


Cat's in the Cradle
by Harry Chapin (lyrics by Sandra Chapin)

My child arrived just the other day,
He came to the world in the usual way.
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay.
He learned to walk while I was away.
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew,
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad.
You know I'm gonna be like you."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

My son turned ten just the other day.
He said, "Thanks for the ball, dad, come on let's play.
Can you teach me to throw?" I said, "Not today,
I got a lot to do." He said, "That's ok."
And he walked away, but his smile never dimmmed,
Said, "I'm gonna be like him, yeah.
You know I'm gonna be like him."

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, dad?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then.
You know we'll have a good time then."

Well, he came from college just the other day,
So much like a man I just had to say,
"Son, I'm proud of you. Can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile,
"What I'd really like, dad, is to borrow the car keys.
See you later. Can I have them please?"

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."

I've long since retired and my son's moved away.
I called him up just the other day.
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind."
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time.
You see, my new job's a hassle, and the kid's got the flu,
But it's sure nice talking to you, dad.
It's been sure nice talking to you."

And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me,
He'd grown up just like me.
My boy was just like me.

And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon,
Little boy blue and the man in the moon.
"When you coming home, son?" "I don't know when,
But we'll get together then, dad.
You know we'll have a good time then."
With sincere apologies to my family and God,


- Rod

Note: Olan writes: A very interesting look into our lives today. Have we gained anything from the job we do each week? As hard as I have worked and as much time as I have sacrificed. The truth of the matter is that is has not been is there really anything to show for it? So our family has not seen much of us and no one is happy. You don't have to wait for me to be on my death bed to say. "I wish I hadn't spent so much time at the office." But events repeat themselves, before we know we will be working the way we always have. I have been here before, hey, but next time it will really be different. Really.

• Topic: Reflections

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