Thoughts on Threescore and Ten

By Joe Slater “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away” (Psalm 90:10, KJV).     I reached my threescore and ten a few days ago. That milestone gives me pause to reflect a bit. By God’s grace I’m in fairly decent health, so look out, fourscore, here I come!     When Moses wrote that Psalm, he was already well above eighty years old. He would survive to 120! But he had lived through some frightfully difficult times as he led the Israelites through the wilderness. Their persistent rebellion had brought God’s wrath down upon them again and again! Multitudes had died before their time. The average human life span would continue to plummet for a good while.     My own life has been far less turbulent, though not without its trials. I’ve been blessed to do the work I love for over 46 years. I’m not naïve enough to think I have 46 more to continue working! If I’m to accomplish anything for the Lord, the time is now. Then again, that has always been the case.     Only one life         Twill soon be past     Only what’s done         For Christ will last (C. T. Studd)     Faith, family, and friends surpass all else in importance. I’ve always “known” that, but every passing year makes it clearer. I hope that’s true for you as well.

- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Lakeside Church of Christ in Springfield, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: https://www.lakesidecoc.us/

Overcoming the Aging Process

By Joe Chesser          It seems like it was just last week when school let out for the summer.  And now, here it is, the first week of September.  Where has the time gone?  It brings to mind the lyrics of an old song, “... ain’t it funny how time slips away.”      While it may be funny for some to sing about, others see the swift passing of time as somewhat depressing.  I’m sure that’s why people have tried for many centuries to fight the aging process.  Everything has been tried from searching for the fountain of youth to the invention of miracle wrinkle creams, from hair coloring to hair implants, from exercise & vitamins to plastic surgery.  But deep down we all know that there is nothing we can do about the aging process.  We can try to lengthen our life-span.  We can help our bodies look and feel better longer.  But is there anything we can do to overcome the aging process?  Yes, and no.      Physically speaking, for every generation since Adam and Eve “there is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2).  It’s simply the way God has designed life on earth.  It’s all a part of the laws God established after Eden.  And while we may manipulate those laws to some extent, the aging process continues to plug along.       This would be very depressing if we were only physical beings.  But we’re not.  We not only have a body, we also have a soul.  And it is this aspect of our existence that gives us hope of overcoming the aging process.  Notice how Paul puts it:       Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we       are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed      day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are      achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them      all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what      is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is      unseen is eternal.                             2 Corinthians 4:16-18      I don’t know about you, but I kind of like the idea of being renewed day by day.  I like the idea that what I see in a mirror graying and wrinkling is only temporary at best.  I really like the idea that as a Christian, not only am I being renewed spiritually each day, I also have in the future an eternal glory that far exceeds anything this earth can offer, one that overcomes all the troubles and heartaches with which this world so cruelly tries to destroy me.  I don’t care that my hair is turning gray and turning loose.  I don’t care that I can’t stop the aging process because that would only prolong receiving the eternal glory with God that’s awaiting me!

- Joe Chesser preaches for the Fruitland Church of Christ, Fruitland, MO.  He may be contacted at joeandareva@yahoo.com

The Fleeting Years

By Alan Smith

    I read two humorous stories lately with a similar theme:
    A 5-five-year-old boy was discussing with his father some of the differences between their childhoods. The father pointed out that when he was young, he didn't have things such as Nintendo, cellphones, computers or digital cameras.
    He realized just how huge the generation gap was when his son asked him, "Did you have fruit?"
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    A 12-year-old girl asked her mother, "Mom, do you have a baby picture of yourself? I need it for a school project." Her mother gave her one without thinking to ask what the project was.
    A few days later she was in the classroom for a parent-teacher meeting when she noticed her face pinned to a mural the students had created. The title of their project was "The oldest thing in my house."
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    I am always amazed at how young people view those who are older. I can remember when I was in my early 20's (35 years ago!) thinking of a couple at church as being very old, almost ancient. That couple is in their 80's today, which means that 35 years ago.......they were a lot younger than I am now! I can't help but wonder, is that how young people view me? Do they think that I am very old, almost ancient? Needless to say, my perspective of what constitutes "really old" has changed through the years.
    I'm also amazed at how our perspective on the passing of time changes as we get older. Looking ahead as a young man, it seemed as if being in my 50's was an eternity away. Now, looking back, it doesn't seem that long ago that I was in my 20's. How quickly the time has gone! And every year seems to pass with even more speed.
    Peter was so right when he said, “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away..." (I Peter 1:24). Job put it this way: "We grow up like flowers and then dry up and die. We are like a passing shadow that does not last." (Job 14:2, NCV).
    The glories of this life are indeed fading and before we know it, they will be gone. Which would be depressing if it were not for the realization that those who are in Christ have an inheritance waiting for us "that does not fade away" (I Peter 1:4). 
    So, while you are on this earth, make good use of your time (as short as it may be). It will be gone before you know it. But make sure you live your life in a way that gives you something to look forward to when this life is over.
    Have a great day! (especially you "really old" people in your 80's!)  :)

- Alan Smith, author of the popular "Thought For Today," and minister for the Cruciform Church of Christ in Spring Lake, North Carolina, may be contacted at alansmith.servant@gmail.com or through the congregation's website: http://www.cruciformcoc.com/

Serving God in Your “Golden Years”

By Brian Mitchell

     If you are one of those "precious saints" called the "elderly", you can thank God, for you have arrived at the apex of life. You have arrived at the top of the mountain where you can breathe the rare atmosphere of a long life of experience, knowledge, honor, and have an excellent view that none of those below you have ever seen. Many moons have come and gone in your life. You have crossed many bridges, navigated many crossroads and have come out on top. You may have lost a step, and you may even be a bit stooped, but thank God you can still breathe and have a sturdy heart. The Bible speaks well of you when it says, "the splendor of old men is their gray head" (Prov. 20:29). But you are NOT Done!!!
    You have come through the hard knocks of experience and can teach others a few things about life. Life has given you a wealth of knowledge not learned in books. You have seen more changes in a lifetime than any generation has seen since the camel and tent days of Abraham. You saw the evolution of the automobile and witnessed the modern space ships flying to the moon. You lived in the days before the TV and into the days of wireless communication where you type a letter to a missionary in Russia and it will be there before you have a chance to get up from your seat. But you are NOT Done!!!

     It is not a sin to get old or to be old. Aging cannot be stopped and it will go on until death overtakes us or the Lord comes for His church. But the older generations have a tremendous responsibility to the younger generations coming up behind them. There is a responsibility that goes along with being in the elite elderly class. The tremendous amount of knowledge and experience that you have obtained through the years needs to be shared with the younger generation. You are NOT Done!!!
    Sadly, time has a way of robbing men of the feeling of usefulness. You may have developed a defeatist attitude that makes you think "I am so useless; What can I do?" Yet all of the knowledge and experience that God has given you can be used as illustrations to reveal His truth to others. There are many young people today that do not have or will never have what you have obtained in your lifetime. You have the advantage of perspective and God and others need you to make good use of it. You are NOT Done!!!
     You have a vantage point in these golden years that the younger ones do not have. It is like standing on a mountain of years and looking over the valley of time, so that you can see life lessons that those who live in the valley of youth do not see. You can help them. Your years are now valuable for the sake of counsel and advice. What a way to serve the Lord! You are needed now in perhaps ways you have never been needed before. How do you know whether God has called you "to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14) You are NOT Done!!!
    There is no doubt that we will all grow old if we continue living upon this earth. However, “how” we grow old is far more important than how “old” we grow. Let us have the same attitude toward serving the Lord in our later years as Caleb, never quitting (or retiring), but always asking the Lord to continue giving him more challenges (“mountains”) to conquer and overcome with the Lord’s help. You are NOT Done!!!
    You are NOT Done Until God Says So!!! So never forget how valuable you are to God and others. You have much knowledge and wisdom to pass on to others and God is expecting you to do so. And those who are younger need you to.

- Brian Mitchell preaches for the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net

Lord Give Me a Mountain

By Don Campbell
    John Piper wrote: “Finishing life to the glory of Christ means resolutely resisting the typical American dream of retirement.  It means being so satisfied with all that God promises to be for us in Christ that we are set free from the cravings that create so much emptiness and uselessness in retirement.  Instead, knowing that we have an infinitely satisfying an everlasting inheritance in God just over the horizon of life makes us zealous in our few remaining years here to spend ourselves in the sacrifices of love, not the accumulation of comforts” (John Piper. Rethinking Retirement: Finishing Life for the Glory of Christ. Crossway Books, Wheaton, Illinois. 2008).
    At an age when many men might have considered backing off and letting the younger generation do the fighting, Caleb was looking for mountains to climb and battles to win.  He said:
And now, behold, the Lord has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, while Israel walked in the wilderness. And now, behold, I am this day eighty-five years old.  I am still as strong today as I was in the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war and for going and coming. So now give me this hill country of which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall drive them out just as the Lord said (Josh 14:10-12, ESV).
    Caleb stands in contrast to the whining children of Joseph to whom Joshua said, in effect, “Stop complaining and go clear some land if you do not have enough (Joshua 17:14-18).
    Not many men—if any—can say these days that they are as strong at 85 as they were at 40, but 85-year-old men are not called on today to go into combat.  But here are just a few people who made their mark late in life:
•    Colonel Sanders began KFC at the age of 65.
•    Laura Ingalls Wilder was 65 when she started the Little House series of books.
•    Golda Meir became the fourth prime minster of Israel at age 70.
•    Ronald Reagan became president 16 days before his 70th birthday.
•    Burton Coffman began writing his verse-by-verse commentaries on the entire Bible when he was 66 and finished them when he was 87.
All of these people looked for mountains to climb when others were willing to coast downhill, toward death.  The famous baseball player, manager, and coach, Yogi Berra, who was still coaching at age 80, once said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.”
    You and I won’t match the accomplishments of these historic figures, but God does not expect us to.  God expects us to bloom where we are planted, but he does expect us to bloom until we go to seed and our bodies are planted in the ground.   You haven’t gone to seed if you are reading this, so I challenge you keep on blooming.  God’s promise to Israel can be ours, if David’s prayer is ours:

“Listen to Me, O house of Jacob,
And all the remnant of the house of Israel,
Who have been upheld by Me from birth,
Who have been carried from the womb:
 Even to you old age, I am He,
And even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you (Isa 46:3-4)
O God, You have taught me from my youth;
And to this day I declare Your wondrous works.
Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come (Psa 71:17-18).
- Don Campbell preaches for the Puryear Church of Christ in Puryear, TN. He may be contacted via the congregation's website: www.wk.net/churchofchrist/

Overcoming The Aging Process

By Joe Chesser      It seems like it was just last week when school let out for the summer.  And now, here it is, the first week of another school year.  Where has the time gone?  It brings to mind the lyrics of an old song, “... ain’t it funny how time slips away.”
     While it may be funny for some to sing about, others see the swift passing of time as somewhat depressing.  I’m sure that’s why people have tried for many centuries to fight the aging process.  Everything has been tried from searching for the fountain of youth to the invention of miracle wrinkle creams, from hair coloring to hair implants, from exercise & vitamins to plastic surgery.  But deep down we all know that there is nothing we can do about the aging process.  We can try to lengthen our life-span.  We can help our bodies look and feel better longer.  But is there anything we can do to overcome the aging process?  Yes, and no.      Physically speaking, for every generation since Adam and Eve “there is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3:2).  It’s simply the way God has designed life on earth.  It’s all a part of the laws God established after Eden.  And while we may manipulate those laws to some extent, the aging process continues to plug along.       This would be very depressing if we were only physical beings.  But we’re not.  We not only have a body, we also have a soul.  And it is this aspect of our existence that gives us hope of overcoming the aging process.  Notice how Paul puts it:
Therefore we do not lose heart.  
Though outwardly we       
are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed      
day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are      
achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them      
all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what      
is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is      
unseen is eternal.                             2 Corinthians 4:16-18
     I don’t know about you, but I kind of like the idea of being renewed day by day.  I like the idea that what I see in a mirror graying and wrinkling is only temporary at best.  I really like the idea that as a Christian, not only am I being renewed spiritually each day, I also have in the future an eternal glory that far exceeds anything this earth can offer, one that overcomes all the troubles and heartaches with which this world so cruelly tries to destroy me.  I don’t care that my hair is turning gray and turning loose.  I don’t care that I can’t stop the aging process because that would only prolong receiving the eternal glory with God that’s awaiting me!

- Joe Chesser preaches for the Fruitland Church of Christ, Fruitland, MO.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.cofcfruitland.com/

Reflections

    You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.
    It seems just yesterday that I was a young girl, just married and embarking on my new life with my husband. And yet, in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went. I know that I lived them all...
     And I have glimpses of how it was back then and all of my hopes and dreams...But, here it is...the winter of my life and this catches me by surprise…How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my babies go? And where did my youth go?
     I remember well...seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like…
    But here it is…husband retired and he’s getting gray...he moves slower and I see an older man now. He’s in much better shape than me...but, I see the great change...Not the one I married who was dark and young and strong...but, like me, his age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we’d be.
    Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day!  And taking a nap is not a treat anymore—it’s mandatory!
    And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things.
    But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I’m not sure how long it will last...This I know, that when it’s over...I will enjoy the spring in the arms of my loving Father...and wait for my loved ones to come when their winter is over too.
    So, if you’re not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you want to accomplish in your life, please do it quickly!
    For, remember that scripture?...your life is but a vapor, it vanishes away...So, do what you can today, because you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!
    You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so live for God today and say all the things you want your loved ones to remember…

- Author unknown; via The Encourager, the weekly bulletin for the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY.  Lance Cordle preaches for the congregation.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

Watching Her Breathe

By Jim Faughn

    She was (and is) the one with whom I hope to spend the rest of my life. From those earlier times when it was a new experience until now when it never grows old, watching her breathe means, among other things, commitment. It means that home is wherever the two of us happen to be.
    She was our firstborn. We had prayed for her to be healthy and God had graciously granted us a positive answer to that prayer. He also did that later when her brother was born. Watching her (and her brother) breathe and sleep was such a joy. It meant that these two precious souls felt contentment. It meant that our family had grown and that, at least to them, home was wherever mommy and daddy were.
    She is our last remaining parent. Both of my parents and Donna’s father have preceded her in death. As I write this, Donna and I are sitting in her mother’s room and watching her breathe. That’s all she’s been able to do for quite a while now. It probably won’t be long until she breathes for the last time.
    While I cannot say that this experience is as pleasant as the others, there is still something very positive about it. For years, she has been a faithful member of God’s family. Because of that, the members of her earthly family know that she has an eternal home waiting for her. We have no doubt about that fact that, in His own time, her Father will welcome her home. Her sleep is a sleep of security.
    Three special people --- three types of sleep --- one earnest prayer… May God help the one who is writing these words and those who may read them be committed to Him and His Word; content with the blessings He has bestowed; and secure in their relationship with Him and in their hope of heaven. If, with His help, we can do that, a wonderful lady who never had much to say will have preached a great sermon with her life. If we are able to put her sermon into practice in our lives, she will not be the only one to hear the words, “Well done.”

- Jim Faughn serves as an elder and preacher for the Central church of Christ in Paducah KY.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: Central church of Christ

Challenges Facing A Retired Couple

By Norman and Ann Gipson

If things proceed as currently planned, we will both be completely retired within the next two months. Ann spent more than forty years as a nurse before health problems sent her into retirement. Norman just celebrated his 73rd birthday and within the next few weeks will complete 51 continuous years of service on ministerial staffs of several churches in various capacities.

Are we looking forward to it? Yes and no. We are faced with new challenges, new opportunities, and new fears. For us, it means a change of residence, a change of schedule, and a long walk into the unknown. In this article, we want to identify some of the challenges we face. Perhaps some of our readers have faced some of the same challenges and met them successfully. If so, we will appreciate you input. As we see it now, our challenges include:

Learning how to live on less income. When Norman went into partial retirement a few years ago, he received a note from our friend, Dale Smith. Dale said, "Retirement is great if you don't starve." Many retired people are trying to make it on social security alone, which was never intended to supply all of our economic needs. According to the US Census Bureau 12.3% of the population lives below the poverty level. While we don't expect to live below the poverty level, we can expect our wallets to be thinner.

Boredom. An internet blogger wrote, "There are 3 things you can't escape in life: 1) death 2) taxes 3) boredom in marriage." The temptation to settle into long established routines increases with retirement. While one can find books, and internet suggestions with titles like "Keeping Marriage Alive After Fifty" we're still looking for the one titled "Keeping Marriage Alive After Seventy." It's tempting to think there are no new challenges, no new goals, no new adventures to be experienced. When individuals stop growing, so do their relationships. Instead of being the golden years, they become frustrating years.

Life Changes. Joanne Austin of Washington State University Cooperative Extension noted, "Never before have so many couples been married long enough to experience such a variety of life-changes that occur in the later stages of marriage." Amazingly, people seem to be the most resistant to change at this age. Why do we need Blackberries? No, we're not talking about the fruit that grows on a prickly vine? We think we can survive just fine without learning how to text. Why do we keep thinking that everything new is better? We reluctantly gave up the car we've driven for the last seven years (after somebody ran into it). Now we've got a rougher riding, less comfortable automobile. Don't tell us that all change is good. But it also makes us wonder just when will we have to give up driving. We're already faced with giving up home ownership, and living in smaller quarters. It's not that we have a right to all these things, but these changes require adjustments, and it's a challenge. We've also got to figure out how we adjust to the change of spending a lot more time together.

Health Concerns. In our case it means changing physicians, health care providers and supplementary insurance. All that's going to cost more even as income goes down. On top of that our bodies continually remind us that we are in a state of slow physical decline. We tire easily, and things like respiratory infections seem to have a lengthier recovery time.

Changes in Our Physical Features. Long ago we learned an old folks' song that includes the following lyrics:

My face is a well-written page, Maggie,
As spray by the white breakers flung,
But to me, you're as fair as you were, Maggie
When you and I were young.

That's somewhere between a lie and self-delusion. One pundit put it this way, "At my age, a mirror is a lethal weapon." I (Norman) am not the man that Ann married. While I never was a candidate for a leading role in movies, there was a time when I had smoother skin, more hair, and fewer pounds. I (Ann) am not the woman Norman married. I was a lot thinner, no gray hair and have the need for a lot more Mary Kay creams to keep my skin smooth and not wrinkled. (In my case, that is called vanity). I keep telling myself that I just want to stay attractive for the wonderful man I married. Our challenge is to learn how to accept and even admire these changing physical characteristics.

Maintaining our Spiritual Growth. It's easy to become smug, and think you've gained all the spiritual knowledge and achieved all the spiritual formation you can reasonably accept to accomplish in this life. Our challenge is to remain in a growth mode until our eyes close in death. As long as we're together we have the opportunity to reinforce our mutual growth as God's children. As Paul said, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16).

We're not sure how we're going to adjust to these challenges. We can't anticipate what they'll all be. Perhaps we'll build bridges that we never have to cross. Perhaps we'll need someone to throw us a lifeline when the bridges collapse. We don't know. What we do know is that we have each other and this moment in time, and we're going to hold on to each other. If we'll just be willing to let God work, things will turn out well for us in the end. You might want to check back with us in a few years, if we're still kicking, to see how well we're doing.

- Norman and Ann Gipson; via The Family Friend, a monthly newsletter published by the Calvert City church of Christ, Calvert City, KY. It is an excellent resource for articles relating to the family. To learn more consult the congregation's website: http://www.calvertchurchofchrist.com

You Tell Me I Am Getting Old

by Dora Johnson

You tell me I am getting old,
I tell you that's not so!
The "house" I live in is worn out,
and that, of course, I know.
It's been in use a long, long while;
It's weathered many a mile;
I'm really not surprised you think
it's getting some what frail.
The color's changing on the roof,
the windows getting dim,
The walls a bit transparent
and looking rather thin,
The foundation's not so steady
as once it used to be-
My "house" is getting shaky,
but my "house" isn't ME!
My few short years can't make me old,
I feel I'm in my youth;
Eternity lies just ahead,
A life of joy and truth.
I'm going to live forever there;
Life will go on-it's grand!
You tell me I am growing old?
You just don't understand.
The dweller in my little "house"
is young and bright and gay;
Just starting on a life
to last throughout eternal day.
You only see the outside,
Which is all that most folk see.
You tell me I am getting old?
You've mixed my house with ME!