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

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | The Canteen Crew

[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

 

[radu]

Greetings to all at the Canteen!

To all our military men and women, past and present,

THANK YOU
for your service!

[Farmer Dean]

When I reached my 50’s I found I could do things that I could never do in my 20’s.Like find 40’s women attractive.

[ConorMacNessa]

"TAKE UP THY CROSS
AND FOLLOW ME"



"I Vow To Thee My Country"
Choir Of King's College, Cambridge
(Click)

"I VOW TO THEE, my country, all earthly things above,
Entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love;
The love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,
That lays upon the altar the dearest and the best;
The love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
The love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

And there's another country, I've heard of long ago,
Most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know;
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King;
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering;
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase,
And her ways are ways of gentleness, and all her paths are peace."

[radu]

Howdy, Kathy.

I hope you got enough done today that you’ll be able to relax and enjoy Ashlie’s visit tomorrow.

[radu]

Howdy, PRO.

Let me guess ... you’re kicked back watching college football this evening. :-)

[radu]

Howdy do, Conor! *HUGZ*

How are things up your way? Did the rain system that’s trundled it’s way across this half of the country give you much trouble?
Not much rain out of it here but it’s certainly been raw the past three days. brrrr

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mac, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to the MacNessa family.

Hope you had a lovely day of restfulness.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Shavua Tov.
Wishing all our Jewish troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
a peaceful and prosperous week.

[PROCON]

Hiya radu!

Let me guess ... you’re kicked back watching college football this evening. :-)

WHOA, you must be psychic! 😁

Yup, watching my main team right now. Pretty much been watching football for most of the day, my one big TV splurge.

Tomorrow I'll go see daughter and visit the pups.

We're getting some nice rain here tonight, freshens the air.

Wassup with you?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Prayers for our troops, veterans, families, allies, friends, and Canteeners
for a safe and peaceful week ahead.

[ConorMacNessa]

Thanks very much, Kathy! No rest in Castle MacNessa - we're on watch 24/7 here. Working heavy hours in the belly of the beast. kathy

"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

[ConorMacNessa]

Picking them up and putting them down, Radu.

*HUGS*

We have rain again as we have had for the last several weeks - not so bad as we expected it to be up to this point.

"Dia shábháil ar fad anseo!"

[luvie]

Casting Crowns~Praise You In The Storm

Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir~How Great Thou Art

Daniel O'Donnel~Church In The Wildwood

Statler Brothers~Amazing Grace

Gaither Vocal Band~Heaven's Joy Awaits

St. Olaf Choir~When Peace Like A River

Providence~Sweet Beulah Land

GOD BLESS YOU THIS LORD'S DAY!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, Cold Heart, and a Blessed Lord’s Day to you and yours.

And you are welcome.

[radu]

No ESP required on that one. It was an easy guess. LOL!

Ooooo, double the pleasure tomorrow. Seeing your daughter AND the pups. Gonna be a fun day. I hope the rain stops so you can take the lil wild man outside to burn off some steam and entertain you. :-)

Been a raw day here. We had a few folks pop by the museum but it was a fairly slow day overall.

Now watching old movies on tv. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir just went off and The Ghost and Mr. Chicken is coming on. My fave Don Knotts movie.

[Kathy in Alaska]

He Who blessed our forefathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - may He bless the fighters of the Israel Defense Force, who stand guard over our land and the cities of our G-d from the border of the Lebanon to the desert of Egypt, and from the Great Sea unto the approach of the Aravah, on the land, in the air, and on the sea.

May HASHEM cause the enemies who rise up against us to be struck down before them. May the Holy One, Blessed is He, preserve and rescue our fighting men from every trouble and distress and from every plague and illness, and may He send blessing and success in their every endeavor.

May He lead our enemies under their sway and may He grant them salvation and crown them with victory. And may there be fulfilled for them the verse: For it is Hashem, your G-d, Who goes with you to battle your enemies for you to save you.

G-d bless and keep your children safe, Alouette.

[ConorMacNessa]

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!



Amazing Grace
(Click)
By John Newton

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed!

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me,
His Word my hope secures;
He will my Shield and Portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, Who called me here below,
Will be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
Than when we’d first begun.

[radu]

Glad the system didn’t drown y’all. They’d initially made it sound like it would be a mess along the coast.

[ConorMacNessa]

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND
OUR BELOVED NATION!

"Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

(Joshua 1:9 KJV)

"The Lord's Prayer"
Mormon Tabernacle Choir
The U.S. Air Force Band
And Singing Sergeants
(Click)

DEAR LORD, who suffered torment, agony, and death upon the Cross to free our souls from the chains of iniquity, protect and defend our troops. Guide them in the performance of their duties. Strengthen them to endure hardship, danger and deprivation in Your service. Let their efforts free the people of Iraq and Afghanistan from the chains of terror and slavery, foster a lasting peace in the region, and bring all to a greater share in Your Mercy. Amen.

[radu]

Howdy, LUV.

Hope your day’s been a good one.

I shoulda asked you to huff and puff to blow your warmer temps over here sooner. It’s supposed to warm up tomorrow but it would have been nice if it had done it today. brrrrrr!