Aging #2

I grew up around “old” people. They were my family and mentors. God’s grace has allowed me to connect to “older” folks much better than the younger generations. I’ve also always known that our lives follow three stages. First, as adults and parents we are caregivers. Our children need our attention, provision and protection. Second, we become coaches. Our influence and experience permit us insight into our children’s lives, personalities and gifting and thus hopefully are able to gain the capacity to be there at those moments where they desire to lean into our experience and perspective. Coaches, give direction and unearth what the real desire is at critical times. Then there is the Sage period of our adult life. The sage is the sought out for different reasons. Advice from a sage is seasoned with layers of failures, success and missteps that all have been part of the building of a life- career- ministry.. etc. Moving through each of those stages is painful and joyful. As I face down my 7 decade of life a few realities are obvious. 1. My strength is lessening. I’ve prided myself on being strong and capable of dealing with physical things. Yet, today is seems that being part of the 300lb clubs is a long forgotten memory. Oh well, who needs to bench press 300 pounds at 62? It was fun while it lasted! These days I am built for persevering. Built for the long haul. I’ve never been a race horse. I am built for pulling heavy loads long distances. More of a Mule than a horse. 2. Emotions have less of an influence on your day to day life. That is not to say that I am not an emotional person. It is that emotions are fickle and can carry you away in directions that bring death to your heart, mind and soul. 3. You come to grips with who you really are and have been made to be. This is called maturity I guess. 4. Expiration dates are fast coming my way. A few of those dates are: - retirement - redefining what life will be like without a career- ministry . - Moving from caregiver to care-needer. This one is hard to imagine and accept. Being a burden to those around you is such a unpleasant thought. I’ve joked- yet being serious that I want to be “put out” of other peoples misery when I get to that stage of life where I’m just useless and needy. I want to pass with dignity. That is my prayer. 5. Determination drives me. Being built for the long haul and for heavy loads is such a wonderful thing. God has given me a spirit of “don’t quit”. In my younger years, when things got tough and my identity was frail - quitting was something that I thought about all the time. Today, God has strengthened my resolve to finish this thing strong. I know I can’t dictate health issues, accidents etc. But one thing that puts fuel to my fire is the desire to no it be irrelevant as I age. I may lead from the tenth row of a mega-church… but I will set out to accomplish is these last year something worthy of Him. 6. Influence is fleeting with the younger generations- windows of influence must be seized. This is where I am mostly focused these days. Aging has it limitations. Aging though, brings its opportunities. Passivity is a deceitful enemy. I am determined that passivity will not have a place is my life as I age. I may make a thousand mistakes- but it will not be because of me being lazy or disconnected from those I love.