Scripture

Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.

~Deuteronomy 34:7, NKJV

Quote

Age is an issue of mind over matter: if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.

~Mark Twain

There are a few exceptions to the rule but generally speaking, as we age we lose tiny increments of strength and vitality. Unlike Moses, my eyes are growing dim and my hears are definitely not up to speed. Eugene Peterson translated Psalm 49:20 like this, “We are not immortal. We don’t last long. Like the dogs, we age and weaken, and then we die.” The longer my mother lived, the more time she spent in bed. Sleep became a priority for mother. I never took Sunday evening naps until I retired in 2017 but things have changed. Now I not only take Sunday naps, I take Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday naps if you get my drift. I have less vitality, less energy and far less strength than I once had. I struggle with bottle caps. It is not just me, I know men who were bigger and stronger and now due to arthritis that have trouble opening jars and bottles. On bad days, it will be a chore to button your shirt. Just a decade ago I could run a little and jump but those days are over. I do know that some men do not lose their strength. Hugh Fitzgerald never lost his. He could crush your hand with his powerful grip right up to the end.

I may be losing my grip, my strength but I am gaining momentum in over more vital areas. I love to read the and study the Bible. I love to teach and peach. I love worship. I am looking forward to communion this Sunday. Aging slows us down and that is not always a bad thing. There are so many things that we learn from experience and of course, I am a slow learner. I wouldn’t mind having a 50 year old body but I have no desire to go back to 50, or to go back at all. The testimony of Paul comes to mind, “There were once things I thought were valuable, but now I consider them worthless. Yes everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. As a matter of fact, some of the things I once treasured or garbage to me now. My goal now is to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. {JEV}

Extra

Beautiful sunshine today as it cools down. Anyone can predict weather in Alabama. When it warms, it is going to rain and after the rain a cold front. God is good. I can’t count all the blessings. June had a bad day yesterday. We are planning to go with the kids to the mountains next week but if she doesn’t improve, she and I will be staying home. I know the ladies at the POINT will pray for her and I will be most grateful. She is going to call the doctor today and hopefully, something can be done. This is Christmas week and it will go back in a hurry. I have a tinge of sadness; one more of my Christmas traditions has bit the dust. For the past 30 years or so, I have visited my elderly friends in the community I grew up in but not this year, they are all gone. Mrs. Inman moved to Mississippi a month or so ago and she was the last. She is 94 and sharp as a tack. I want to go to Mississippi to see her, but it doesn’t look like that will be possible.

I had a great visit with Shannon and Courtney yesterday evening and I give the LORD thanks and praise for it. I hope you have a great Monday and a great week. God bless you and thanks for reading the blog.