FReeper Canteen ~ Sunday Chapel ~ REFLECTIONS ON GROWING OLD(ER) ~ 28 October 2018

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[Kathy in Alaska]

 

 

 

REFLECTIONS ON GROWING OLD(ER)

Someone once said that we are now living in the age of age. In fact, there are more old people alive today than at any time in history. There are, today, more people over 65 in the United States than the entire population of Canada. Faced with these figures, and faced with the fact that you will someday be, if you are not already, in the category of the aged, the old, or the elderly, how do you, or will you, look upon the final chapter of your book of life?

Some look at age philosophically, like Jack Benny, who said: "Age is a matter of mind; if you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Some look at age sarcastically, like the wisecracker who said: "You know you are getting old when the gleam in your eye is from the sun hitting your bifocals." Or, as Bob Hope said on his 80th birthday: "You know you're old when the candles cost more than the cake." Some view age evasively, like the elderly couple in California who were stopped for speeding and when asked where they were going in such a hurry, replied, "We're escaping from Leisure World." Some look at age shrewdly, like Agatha Christie, who quipped that she married an archaeologist so that the older she became, the more he would appreciate her.

But what about scripturally? In the Book of Genesis, Abraham made a comment about his advanced years and how his faith was strong even at 99 years of age. St. Paul even once wrote of Abraham that, "He (Abraham) did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead because he was about a hundred years old . . ." While his body weakened, his soul grew stronger. St. Paul wrote: " ... he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God." (Romans 4:20)

Abraham didn't need any White House Conference on Aging to figure out how to handle the afternoon of his life. His senior years were the "Sabbath" of his soul, not to rest but to refresh. They were the garnering years, alive with rich possibilities for self-realization, a time of harvest, abundant and manifold. With the patriarch as a paradigm, St. Paul intimates that age is a time of spiritual enrichment, of growing close to God. The aging saint has no time for regrets. Age is the country he's always wanted to reach. The saints go marching in! It's the land of freedom: freedom from the striving of making a living, freedom from the strains of child-raising, freedom from the real, or imaginary, necessities of social acceptance, freedom from defining one's own status by occupation, income, and social approval, freedom to live where you want, do what you want, go where you want; and yes, freedom at last, to wear shoes for comfort instead of for style. Age, a la Abraham, is a time to sift for nuggets of meaning, to make psychic gains, and experience spiritual satisfaction, to add life to years, not just years to life. To try to link faith and age in any other non-productive way is to have as a motto: "In God We Rust."

LCDR Jeffrey Nordhaus, CHC, USN

 

[Kathy in Alaska]

Please join us for Sunday Chapel ~ REFLECTIONS ON GROWING OLD(ER), and Liberty

Lt. Charles F. Suver, CHC, USN, 28th Marine Regiment, 5th Marine Division
"Mass at Iwo Jima"

Please stop in and say a prayer of protection for the military.
Prayers from all denominations are needed.




Sunday Liberty starts after the Guest Military Chaplain's Service!

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Your Way, Not Mine

October 28, 2018

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

Kamil and Joelle were devastated when their eight-year-old daughter Rima was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. The disease led to meningitis and a stroke, and Rima lapsed into a coma. The hospital medical team counseled her parents to make arrangements for Rima’s funeral, giving her less than a one percent chance of survival.

Kamil and Joelle fasted and prayed for a miracle. “As we pray,” Kamil said, “we need to trust God no matter what. And pray like Jesus—not my way, Father, but Yours.” “But I want so much for God to heal her!” Joelle answered honestly. “Yes! And we should ask!” Kamil responded. “But it honors God when we give ourselves to Him even when it’s hard, because that’s what Jesus did.”

Before Jesus went to the cross, He prayed: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42). By praying “take this cup,” Jesus asked not to go to the cross; but He submitted to the Father out of love.

Surrendering our desires to God isn’t easy, and His wisdom can be difficult to understand in challenging moments. Kamil and Joelle’s prayers were answered in a remarkable way—Rima is a healthy fifteen year old today.  

Jesus understands every struggle. Even when, for our sake, His request was not answered, He showed us how to trust our God in every need.

I want to be “all in” for You, Father. I trust in Your unfailing

love and give myself to You as Your servant today.

God always deserves our commitment and praise.

INSIGHT

Today’s reading shows us the dramatic scene of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, facing the horrors of the cross. Not only was it one of the most painful and excruciating means of execution invented by the Romans, but for our Lord it would mean taking the sins of the world upon Himself. Just prior to His crucifixion, we witness the Son’s mysterious request of His Father. Christ asked if the cup of crucifixion could be taken from Him. Yet our Lord yielded His will to the Father knowing that it was His mission on Earth to redeem all who would believe in His sacrificial death. The lesson for us is significant. Even when we face terrible suffering, we know God can deliver us; however, we must also trust Him if He chooses not to. Only by holding our Father’s hand in the valley can we endure to see the light of the mountaintop ahead.

What troubling circumstance are you facing today, and how can you depend on God no matter what His will brings?

[Herman Ball]

I am now 79 years old and I consider myself very fortunate and at the same time I am ashamed of where America is headed. The Evil Democrat Party and the Americans Media has divided and torn America apart and it would not make me mad if I died fighting these two low down groups and I sincerely mean it. They have torn our morals away from us,took God out of the equation and condemned the very core of the Military the White American fighting man. If you think I joke you are uninformed,ignorant and very unaware of history. We have Prostitutes selling their wares and then trying to make money off of their whoredom. These same groups have taken the Pride away from ladies and rewarded crooks and Evil people. These two groups have White men in their groups that have aided the situation. They are folks who have claimed medals and ran from real fighting during our wars. Whites like John Kerry,Ted Kennedy,Joe Biden and most of the White Men in the Democrat Party are cowards and use their positions to lie,cheat and steal and hold the working class American down . I hate to admit it but I do not doubt some of the Republican Party has some of the same cowards in it also. I will stand behind my country but am very willing to take on the afore mentioned cowards at the drop of a hat.

[Cold Heart]

Thanks

[PROCON]

Thanks Kathy, true Words of wisdom.

[tubebender]

I DON’T MIND GETTING OLD...
I JUST WANT TO KEEP ON GETTING OLDER!

Tubebender

5/15/33

[Fai Mao]

When I turned 30 I decided that I was going to enjoy the things I could do in my 30’s that I couldn’t do in the 20’s I was not going to look back and pine for the previous decade.

In my 30’s that meant watching the kids grow and finishing graduate school. The 40’s meant making more money as the career developed and not having to make excuse for being slower on the long charity bicycle rides.

I retired in my early 50’s to write novels and grow fruit. I visit the grand children and enjoy being the things I could not be 10 years ago.

I decided when I was 30 I was going to enjoy each decade for what that decade brought. It was one of the best decisions I ever made

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mayor, and thank you for today’s sustenance for body and soul.

A Blessed Lord’s day to you and yours.

Hope you got some rest today.

[ConorMacNessa]

Good Evening, Kathy!

***HUGS***



A Blessed Lord's Day to you and yours! Thank you very much for this evening's Sunday Chapel thread.

This is the day the Lord hath made; let us rejoice and be glad!

[left that other site]

Hi Everybody!

(((HUGS)))

[mountainlion]

I DON’T MIND GETTING OLD...

The side effects are what I could do without.

[Redleg Duke]

GROWING OLD A’N’T FOR SISSIES!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Herman Ball, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

I, too, mourn for what my country is becoming, but pray that President Trump can continue to right the ship, that folks on the left will see the positive measures being taken and get onboard.

[wjcsux]

Good Lord can I relate to that!

[Excellence]

Thanks, I needed that.

[bert]

Clint produced a movie at 86

Think 90

[Kathy in Alaska]

Dear God:
I ask that no Airman, Coast Guardsman,
Marine, Sailor, Soldier, Reservist, National Guardsman, or Merchant Marine
feel alone or forgotten.

O Israel, hope in the Lord;
For with the Lord there is loving kindness,
And with Him is abundant redemption.
And He will redeem Israel
From all his iniquities.

Psalm 130:7 & 8

[Kathy in Alaska]

Hello Veterans, wherever you are!!

A Blessed Lord's Day and Shavua Tov to you.

[oldplayer]

Tonight’s reading is insightful and uplifting. I’m 68 and retired now three years. I am of two minds: 1. Keep the pedal to the metal; and 2. Slow down and smell the flowers.

I am more active in local civic affairs than ever. Active in our church, food pantry, and Rotary Club. Coach varsity school at the local high school. etc.

On the other hand, I have become more disciplined about my prayer and spiritual life. Reasonably consistent about 30 minutes of prayer or scripture each morning. That’s good.

This last week my wife and I spent 5 days hauling a** on the curving Ozark roads of N.W. Arkansas. 25-35 over the posted speed limit all day long seemed like a good compromise on our Triumph sport bike. I ride 100-milers several times a year. I have continued my life long habit of 4 mile runs 3-4 time a week.

I say all this to point out how strange it is to be near “three score, and ten” and not be ready to close it out. Some of us don’t deny that death is coming, but it still doesn’t seem to be reality, even though it is. (This month three friends 10-15 years younger than I were diagnosed with prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and a silent heart attack.)

I am musing about this because other Freepers must share the same thoughts.