We don't always like our real lives.
We struggle with how to live a good life, often fighting inclinations to do things we know we should not, and sometimes losing that fight.
In a pretend life, we are completely in control. So, it's nice to pretend from time to time, to "get away" for a while from the pressures of this life. It can be fun, and even a relief.
I have one of those pretend lives.
It’s in a different time—actually, a different timeline. People dress in clothing that looks a lot like steampunk costumes, great dirigibles ply the skies, and land transport looks much like automobiles did in the early part of the 20th Century.
In my imagined life, I am in service to the Queen of England, a secret knight of the realm, her personal Paladin. My friends are people like Nikola Tesla (genius inventor, possible extraterrestrial) and Harriet Quimby (a very early aviatrix, first woman to fly the English Channel). I have adventures, drive and fly interesting vehicles, and often "go undercover" to ferret out enemies of the Crown.
It's all in fun, a harmless exercise of my imagination. My alternate history lives on a Pinterest board where, by pinning photos, I tell a kind of story about a life in which there's—well, a bit more swash in my buckle.
As fun as that kind of thing is, though, we must not allow ourselves to spend too much time in such retreats. As Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote in A Psalm of Life:
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not thy goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Each of us does have another life, a different life—the one that continues after this one concludes. Scripture says we get a new body, and adventures so amazing they can't be described in terms we can fully understand—at least not now.
For now, if we weary of this life, we should follow the teachings in this week's Matthew and Romans passages. In Matthew, Jesus claims: “Wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” In Romans, Paul explores why we keep breaking the rules even though we desire to be good. The answer, he asserts, lies with Jesus. So let’s allow the Lord to place us in light harness, under an easy yoke, so we may be guided. And then, let’s trust Him to rescue us when we live a life contrary to what we know is good.
I can’t imagine a better way.
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If interested, you can view the above photo and the rest of my Pinterest Board, "In Another Life," here:
NOTE: Scroll down to the photo of Harriet Quimby and the ornate spiral staircase: That’s the bottom of my board. Then, start up. For most of these pins, I have added notes about how I (fictitiously) used or interacted with the subject of the pin. You may need to click on some bits to read them. Sadly, Pinterest hasn’t always preserved my notes. So, use your imagination.
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We’re taking a break from DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday! We will return at 8:00 the Friday AFTER July 4th when, once again, we will meet for scripture, food, and fellowship.
Costumed adventurers welcome.
Blessings,
Steve
*Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=63
Print them from here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Ax_Proper9.pdf
Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67
Psalm 45:10-17 or Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Zechariah 9:9-12
Psalm 145:8-14
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
Proper 9 (14) (July 5, 2026) (Sixth Sunday After Pentecost)
