Scripture
Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.
~Psalm 71:9, NIV
Quote
I don’t see anything golden about the golden years.
~Martha Allen Newby
As a kid I ripped and romped; I was like a Mexican jumping bean, I could not be still. If my daddy told me to “Be still” once, he told me a thousand times but I could not be still. I heard a lot of elderly people say to my dad; I wish I had that boy’s energy. I didn’t understand what they meant then but I do now. The kids played football in the yard last night and I sat in a lawn chair and watched. I use to QB for both sides but now I just sit and watch: thinking, I wish I had their energy. You don’t realize the full impact of the law of thermodynamics until you get about 70; then it dawns on you, “I don’t have the energy that I once did which means we can do what we once could.” I get winded getting in and out of the shower. June says she can hear me breathing and she is two rooms away. She calls me Darth Vader among other things. I’ll be honest with you: I wouldn’t mind having more energy but I do not envy children. I have no desire to return to childhood, not even in this present age.
My goal is to be faithful to Jesus and be active in His kingdom work. I love serving others and of course I love to preach. I thank God for every opportunity to preach the word and to help or encourage someone. I may walk with a slight limp or bent over at times from a stiff back but praise God for the ability to walk. I’m not ready for a rocking chair, Geritol or medicare. I can’t run, I can’t jump and I can’t lift my body weight but I am blessed to be able to do for myself and to help those who can’t. It isn’t hard to mow a man’s yard: the hard part is sitting on the porch in a wheel chair watching someone else mow your yard. I get so tired of hearing these whine bags complaining about how bad they feel. I’m like granny Clampet, you need to find something to do. Find someone who is in worse shape than you are and help them. The joy of ministry will help what ever ails you. An old minister retired after 54 years as a pastor but he continued to get up early and study his bible and pray. When someone suggested he take it easy, he said, “Shall I not run with all my might when the finish line is in my sight.” You remember this: IT AINT OVER UNITL JESUS SAYS ITS OVER. Has He told you to quit? Didn’t think so!
Pray for me: Lord willing I am going down to the SBC in B’ham today. I don’t want to. I had about as soon have a root canal but I am going and I plan to visit the CHRISTIAN LIFE COMMISSION booth. I hope Moore will be there but I doubt he has the courage to face the folks he has been embarrassing for the last four years. Don’t worry, I will not give DBC or GP the blame for what I say but I plan to make my opinion heard. I had much rather be plowing the garden which has run away. Yes, I plowed Saturday and yesterday: no, it was not too wet because we never got a rain; but I’m not bitter. Do I sound bitter?
Seth and his mama tried out my new tractor: Sister did some bush hogging. Aunt T has gone to the dogs: just ask her about it. Jeremy, our number one son in law was 44 yesterday and Big Mama threw him a party. He has let me down lately: He is sending Holly back home for a year. It is a parents worse nightmare. Just kidding: you know better and so do I.