"I HATE Getting Old!"

And even to your old age, I am He;
and even to hoar (gray) hairs will
I carry you; I have made, and I will bear;
even I will carry, and will deliver you.
Isaiah 46:4

The title of this blog is something I often say to my husband when arthritis makes itself evident on certain days. His reply is always: “You're NOT getting ollldddd” and then we have a slight chuckle between us. The simple fact is that all of us are aging. In younger years, young folks don't think about aging that much, but nine year olds don't hesitate telling you that they are “nine and a half.” They are quite anxious to move up the age ladder. I gave that “half” stuff up a long time ago.

Our aging process begins at conception when life begins and aging continues to the grave. However, in our earlier years we usually noticed aging only as we looked at parents, grandparents or even family friends. To be honest, I never really noticed the aging process in most of them until they were REALLY old...like 60 years old and up. :0) When I was in grade school, if someone turned 45, they were ancient to me. I never thought I would get to that age, but I did. We have to remember that around the time of the 1940's, people didn't live to be as old as they do now.

I don't know of anyplace where age is on display like in church where children and youth watch those of age...and they watch more than we can realize. In my little church, the Loyal Mothers Sunday school class was where our senior ladies met faithfully every Sunday morning. They always sat together in church, center section, third row from the front. For Sunday school they went up a few altar steps to the small choir section where their class met. Most of them as I recall, wore hats. We little girls sat in the row in front of them. We had to behave or get a bit of a poke in the back. Most of those Loyal Mothers carried candy in their purses and they often passed some our way.

So what's wrong with aging other than it reminds us that D-Day is drawing nearer and nearer. If our hope is in Jesus Christ be it here on earth or when making our way to Heaven, the older years can be just as fruitful and of use as any other stage in our lives. Let me tell you, I look back and there is no stage of life I have gone through that I would want to revisit. God wants us to serve His purpose in our lives in the here and now....living to the fullest in the present.

Books have been written about the aging process and how to do it gracefully. No matter the stage of life, we are never to give up on serving the Lord. It's not unusual to hear a person of age say, “Well, I put in my time...it's time for the younger ones to do it now.” Never give up serving the Lord. If you are 95, there are ways you can serve Him. I know men and ladies who are wonderful prayer warriors. Some verbally greet visitors to a church service. There are ladies who send out cards of encouragement to sick or shut in folks. I know some good soup makers in our church who are quick to share it with folks who are ill. God still needs our hands of service, even if those hands are gnarled with arthritis.

I have said to ladies I teach that every one of us has purpose in God's eyes. He doesn't see age when it comes to His purpose for us. That purpose may take various types and shapes depending where we are in our stages of life, but He has a plan and purpose for us until we are ushered into Heaven. We women have a responsibility to be of influence upon those women who follow us. It doesn't take a masters degree, but only a degree in life lived and one's spiritual experiences as well. For instance, in Titus 2:3-5, Paul tells us:

The aged women likewise, that they be
in behavior as becometh holiness;
not false accusers, not given to much
wine, teachers of good things.
That they may teach the young women
to be sober, to love their husbands, to
love their children,
To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home,
good, obedient to their own husbands,
that the word of God be not blasphemed.

I have said to women of all ages that they, no matter their age, are aged women to someone.  I remember in my latter 20's having someone younger than me coming to me for advice. We are older women (or men) to any others who are younger than we are. This is a responsibility according to Scripture that we can never get away from. I find it sad in today's society that we don't have more Christian men teaching younger men how to be good husbands and fathers.

Next, a major advantage of age, is all that life's experiences have taught us. In our walk with God, we hopefully have attained to a certain level of wisdom. Wisdom comes from God and He will give us opportunities to share that wisdom in an appropriate way with others. We have much to share with this present generation and must take advantage of those moments presented to us without pride or arrogance.

With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of
days understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he
hath counsel and understanding
Job 12:12,13

Remember that “The hoary (gray) head is a crown of glory...” Proverbs 61:31a. Whatever amount of gray hair you have, wear it proudly. I tell people that I've earned every, single gray hair I have...all of us, of any age, have and should wear our gray with satisfaction. My prayer is that I won't waste a single day of where I am right now in life. I always want to be found faithful to God's plan for my life, no matter the date on my birth certificate. Join me!

Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one and that to come. (Psalm 71:18)

Amen...and...Amen