The majority of my posts this week have dealt with aging. I’ve tried to interject some humor into the whole thing, but there isn’t really anything funny about growing old. Our bodies have passed the expiration date, our senses have taken leave of their senses – our faces resemble the lines on a crumpled-up road map – our brains seem to be on vacation. Did I say there was nothing funny about aging? All of the prior statements are really quite hilarious.

There are days when I wake up thinking of all things I might accomplish and get so tired just thinking about them, I decide to go back to sleep. I might wake up feeling like an empty vessel with nothing left to give. Do you ever have days like that? Thirty years ago, I was entering middle age. It’s been downhill ever since. \I’ve had the last several years to ponder what will happen next. Will I still serve a purpose? Will my body agree with that purpose? Will I be able to get out of bed? These are real questions I put to myself every day. It’s a dilemma we’ve all been facing from adolescence on. As hormones rage and life presents new ideas, adventures and looking forward, we’re just getting started on the aging journey. With the onset of the seventies, thoughts no longer dwell on the future, but more on the past. As we enter the golden years, all of those earlier hopes and dreams feel like unfinished business. Speaking of which, I’m 80 years old and don’t have a living will, a will for my demise, or the will to write either of them. I don’t have a prepaid funeral, but because my husband’s father was a funeral director, I do have a place to be buried. There are many things yet to do before God calls me home, but the one thing needful is the undeserved love of my LORD and Savior, Jesus.

So, is there anything good about growing old? Yes, there is! We’re getting one step closer to our heavenly home. We can still contribute to society with our opinions and wisdom. We can reach out to young people who are just beginning their journey and encourage them to press on. We can relax a lot. and sleep a lot. Those are the extra benefits that come with aging. There are many, many more. How do you feel about getting old? For me, it doesn’t matter what each day brings. God has this and He knows what’s best for all of us.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23:6