Greetings!: Good Old Days??

The older one becomes, the easier it becomes to yearn for "the good old days". But the old days weren't always as glamorous as we seem to remember. Of course our better health then makes them seem better because we could do more. And we had special experiences with friends and relatives who are no longer with us.

While life was probably simpler years ago, we experienced World War 2 and the Korean War. We did not have the medical advances we now have and we lived with diseases such as polio. Many had to work and drop out of school. Travel and communications were often limited. Sometimes we forget these things about "the good old days".

However, in those days we never really thought about growing old and how that would one day limit us. Then suddenly these changes happened and almost overnight things we took for granted were done. And we began to wonder how this happened to us so fast.

Now there are things that I do miss. For example I miss being able to walk very far, even with help such as a cane. I used to walk every day, not only for my health, but because there was so much to see. I now realize that I will never be able to do that again, but I have good memories.

Music was always an important part of my life. I enjoyed leading worship, hymn sings and Senior Saints at Pinebrook. I enjoyed singing in groups like the Gospel Four. Those opportunities to minister were highlights of my life. But my voice is gone, my breathing is limited and those opportunities are now history. But the Lord has given me good sources to listen to good music all day. And He has given me the opportunity to minister to folks all over the world through my Hymn Blog. Over 320,000 visits have been made to my blog and literally they have come from all over the world. Recent visits have been made from folks in Nigeria, the United Kingdom, Philippines, India, South Africa, Australia, Brazil, and Jamaica, just to name a few. Even though my voice is gone, the Lord has provided a much greater field of ministry.

I miss my mother's great macaroni salad. It was so special but its secret died upon her death. A number of family members have tried to recreate it, but with little real success. And of course, I still miss my parents. So often I wish that I could visit them, take them out to eat once again or even just call them. But I know the time is coming quickly when I will be with them once again, this time for ever.

I miss the opportunities to travel. Over the years during my decades as district math coordinator, I was able to travel to about 30 major cities to participate and speak at national math conventions. We also spent a summer in Florida as I attended FSU and of course we had a few family trips to Disney. And I thought that after I retired, like many of our friends, there would be many more chances to travel. But for a variety of reasons that hasn't happened and probably won't and at times that has been disappointing. However, we have had many great experiences that have provided us with many special memories.

I also miss my longtime family doctor, Dr. Fuchs, who retired two years ago. He was so intelligent, so kind and so helpful. He would do anything to help us, at any time. Doctors and family practices like that apparently no longer exist. Now I see eight specialists. They are good but they only handle their specialty and they are hard to schedule.

I miss attending Penn State football games. For at least two decades we were able to attend almost every home game. But now it is almost impossible physically to go and it has also become too expensive now that we are retired. But almost every game is now on television and we can watch them in HD in a comfortable chair. We just miss the tailgating and all the activity not shown on television. But we don't miss the traffic.

And I do miss so many of my old friends - Norman, Gary, Ralph and my brother Terry. But like my parents, I will soon see them again. And He has provided me with good sons, daughter-in-laws and grandchildren. And that is a real blessing which I would not trade for anything. What more could I want.

There are many other things that I miss but God has provided replacements. I really have no regrets. God has been so good to me - all of my life. And I am reminded that He is the author of my life and my story. How could I complain about that.

(1) My Father is rich in houses and lands,

He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!

Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold,

His coffers are full, He has riches untold.

I'm a child of the King,

A child of the King:

With Jesus my Savior,

I'm a child of the King.

(2) My Father's own Son, the Savior of men,

Once wandered on earth as the poorest of them;

But now He is pleading our pardon on high,

That we may be His when He comes by and by.