June 2021 Newsletter
Hello!
I found a book on my shelf in my home office I didn’t know I had. It is called, “Joyfully Aging: A Christian’s Guide.” Who gave this to me? And when? I did not buy it. It was published in 2001, so the earliest someone could have given it to me was when I was 35. What is a joke present? Did I receive it more recently? I am 55 now, I can order from the Senior Menu at Perkins.
I don’t remember how I got this book. This is part of aging: memory loss. There is a chapter on it. There may be something to this, that I would look over on my bookshelf now and see this book. I may even read some of it, it is a rainy day today, and I could do this. How does one joyfully age from a Christian perspective?
My sister and I lamented that our youngest brother died. It is the wrong order she said. I reminded her that she is the eldest. She said she was going to live to 102 and I could die after that. Then Eric, our brother. That is a long time to live. I am certainly not going to spend the next 48 years wishing I was younger. I am okay with being 55 and I expect next year I will be fine being 56. I don’t know when you get tired of it, but I do know that one’s body does become tired at some point. I suppose you figure out ways to be joyful about being tired. You happily nap, perhaps. I will see what the book says.
Whenever Sam, my son, comes home from college, he spends the first hour or so commenting on how old Tom and I have become. We must be much younger in his imagination. He can’t believe our forgetfulness, our inability run up and down the stairs, our need to announce the arrival of each bird at our birdfeeder and our devotion to The Price is Right.
I scanned the last page of the book now. It says: Embrace aging! Be that smiling senior someone you meet! Live life for all it is worth, starting today! (Are these cheers for the elderly?) Then it ends with this:
May we pray each day, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit” (Psalm 51:10-13).
This is a wise way to pray at any age. Sam told me his prayers at night are always prayers of gratitude. Wise old soul. I am grateful that God pointed my eye toward this book today, that I might contemplate the length of my life thus far and be grateful. May you be so as well. Joyfully aging…we can do this.
I am going to go now and search the house for where I sat down my tea cup….I am sure it is cold by now. No worries, I am feeling joyfully peace-filled at my ripe old age of 55.
God’s Peace and Joy to you!