Elderly? Me?

As I listened to the local news, my attention was piqued by the announcers words before he went to a commercial break, "elderly woman frightens would-be robbers".  Thinking this ninety something woman had gotten one up on these criminals, I waited patiently for the complete story.  As the anchor returned he began the story with the brave woman's age, startled, I did not hear the rest of the story.  The elderly woman of who he spoke was my age.  Elderly!  This word crept to every cell of my brain. Elderly?  Me?  I felt wounded. I felt hurt.  I felt.....elderly!  Not a good day for this girl!

Really, I am not afraid to die but I mourned the impending loss of "my" life!  Where had the years gone?  What should I do with the years I have left?  How can I hang on to these years that seem to run through my fingers like sand?  I had just realized, in my mind, that I had gone from late-ish  middle age to elderly!

Since that evening I have pondered "elderly" often and have searched the scriptures for answers.  I found that even in my "old age" God still cares for me and is not done with me yet.

My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not. (Haggai 2:5 ESV)

I learned that, just as in my youth, I should depend on him.

After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” Galatians 3:3

My heart was lifted at the familiar verse from Matthew.

And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20 ESV)

Now, excuse me while I take my nap!

PRICELESS!

One of my favorite shows on TV is Antique Roadshow. I am fascinated that the things of my childhood are now considered antiques. Of course I watch the entire program waiting for that one item that brings thousands of dollars. I once watched an episode that featured a piece of furniture that was "priceless". Oh, how I wished I had found that in my attic or bought it from a garage sale. It was one of a kind! In my reading a few days ago, I read the criteria for discovering the worth of an item.

1. Who made it?
2. How many are there like it?
3. What is someone willing to pay for it?

As I looked around the house, I found nothing that would be worth too much at all to anyone except me. There was things made in the USA, Indonesia and China but nothing that had the mark of a famous person. Not many things was one of a kind but was mass produced and nothing had a big price tag. The only antique, was me. But...the bible says I am priceless!

Let me explain. When I asked myself  "who made me" of course the answer is God, the Father, the creator of everything. How many are there like me? None! Do I hear some amens from the peanut gallery?  What was someone willing to pay? God gave his one and only Son for whoever believes in Him. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us with His life so that we may have eternal life.

One of my favorite cups says "Grandmas are antique little girls" and I'm proud to say I am, but even if you are not an antique, you are still PRICELESS!

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NLT)












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Steadied!

My little granddaughter, Evie, is becoming a toddler. She toddles everywhere she goes. She walks and even runs but occasionally she needs to be steadied by a loving Mom and Dad. As she waddles and wobbles strong hands reach out to her to keep her from falling.

There have been seasons of my life when I have felt like my feet were in the mire of my world of depression and I struggled as I tried to follow Him. Thankfully my God does not ignore my cries or critisize me for my "problem". He is in the business of saving the weak and I readily admit my weaknesses. I have prayer for healing but then the Lord tells me, as he told the apostle Paul, "my grace is sufficient". Each time I find myself in the pit I ask the Lord to lift me up. That is why I love the beautiful words we find in Psalm 40:1-3.

1 I waited patiently for the Lord to help me,
and he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the pit of despair,
out of the mud and the mire.
He set my feet on solid ground
and steadied me as I walked along.
3 He has given me a new song to sing,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see what he has done and be amazed.
They will put their trust in the Lord.

Praise God, just like Evie, strong hands lift me up and steady me as I walk along!
I give thanks for those loving hands and the Father that never gives up on me. I glorify Him for giving me a new song.

The Carpenter

If I had been the carpenter, Jesus from the small town of Nazareth, would I have left my comfortable surroundings to preach the gospel?  Would the smell of the sawed wood and the contentment of making something with my own hands lure me to stay in the carpenter shop?  Did Jesus treasure the sound of Mary's voice as she called him to supper?  Did he have close friends that he attended school with that made him laugh and feel secure?  I believe he felt all of these things but the pull to bring salvation to you and me was stronger than the pull to stay in the carpenter shop.

Many times the new year brings calls to change our lives.  We want to change our eating habits, exercise more and most of all, we want to tell someone about Jesus.  But instead stepping out, we fall back into our comfortable ways and lose our desire to change.  I say, “I'll change tomorrow or tell someone about Jesus Monday or help the broken next year”.  I find myself never wanting to leave the contentment of the “carpenter shop”.

This year we lost two of our loved ones and it made me think about how fragile life really is.  It made me wonder who needs to know the hope of Jesus this year?  Who is God counting on me to tell about his unfailing love?  Which hurting person in my world needs to know that Jesus left the carpenter shop to die for each one of us and heal us from our brokeness?  How can I linger in my sameness and comfort, when someone needs to know about the Carpenter?

"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”  Mark 6:3a