1. Every morning when you get awake thank the Lord for giving you one more day here on earth and ask Him to help you use these hours wisely for Him. No matter how you feel, appreciate this gift to you. Life is short and we don't know if we will have another day to do so. We don't know what a day may bring.
2. If you have a doctor who listens and cares or a friend who listens and cares, you are truly fortunate. Such folks are few and far between. Doctors are too busy and true friends are scarce. Thank the Lord if He has given you one.
3. Everybody has problems which they are facing. Some are very open about them, others are very private and seldom share them with others. But they exist. Don't ask someone "how are you doing?" unless you really care and are willing to listen.
4. As we get older we do have less energy and physical problems become a handicap. It becomes easy to back out of things, but that often is not a good idea. Sometimes you just need to "suck it up" and do your best. But a few good naps can help.
5. Money is important for paying the bills and helping to support the Lord's work. But the older your get, spending it on yourself begins to lose the luster it once had.
6. The longer you live the more examples you have of God's faithfulness to you. We shouldn't live in the past, but at times it is good to remember how He has led and provided for you over the years. It helps renew your confidence that He will be faithful and not leave you in the challenges that are still ahead.
7. The older I get the more I appreciate and miss the old hymns that speak about heaven. I guess the closer you get to heaven the more relevant it is to you. I wish we talked about it and sang about it much more today.
8. The older I get the more I become interested in the history of my family. I develop more and more questions that I wish I had asked my parents and relatives while they were alive. But as a youngster I took those things for granted and probably wasn't very observant. And now that I am older and interested there is nobody around any more with the answers. Sometimes I think we grow interested in our heritage too late in life.
9. Watching your grandchildren grow can be both fun and challenging. In some ways it is harder than raising your own children because you can only be an observer and encourager and they are facing a much different world than you or your children faced. I believe that you pray more often and even more earnestly than you might have for your own children. But, on the other hand, Christian grandparents can have a profound influence on their grandchildren by their Christian walk, attitude and encouragement. Don't ever underestimate the power and importance of that influence.
10. Expect change. Your doctors, repairmen, dentists and others you have depended upon for many years will retire. Close friends will die. Your neighborhood will change. Your grandchildren will grow up. Your favorite stores will close. Worship styles and music will change. Prices will increase. Nothing stays the same. Accept it as part of life and move on or grow depressed and bitter. Accepting is a much better option.
11. When young people say their vows when getting married, they really don't understand how profound they are. They don't realize that they will someday face the "for better or for worse" and "in sickness and in health". Such things seem so far away ... but they come so quickly and unexpectedly.
12. Serving the Lord and dedicating all that you have to Him is the most important thing in life. So many miss the blessings He has for them because they withhold some of their time, their possessions and their finances from Him and that is so sad. You can never out give the Lord.
13. Time flies so fast, especially the older that you get. You will soon reach a point when you wonder where all the years have gone. And the physical challenges of being a senior happen more quickly than you ever could expect. If you can walk and see and hear and eat whatever you want, don't take it for granted. But be prepared, it probably won't be that way long.
14. If you've reached retirement age, enjoy it. Be positive. Don't complain. Volunteer. Keep active. Enjoy senior discounts. Take naps. Thank God for His faithfulness. And remember, better days are just around the corner. Then there will be no arthritis, diabetes, hip replacements, taxes, home repairs, medical bills, walkers, canes, hearing aids or politics. What a wonderful day that will be.
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