Hailstones, Gallstones, Kidney Stones, & Milestones!

If I have to come up and get you, it’s not going to be pleasant. Get up sleepyhead, it’s Monday, August 25, 2008. That’s how I used to call up the stairs to the boys whenever their mom was away and I was responsible for getting them off to school. We all need a wake up call now and then. My mom says that I always got up immediately while she had to literally drag some down the hall. The DNA blueprint handed to me must have had the get up early box checked. Yesterday many of our entire clan came together to officially celebrate my recent arrival to the ripe new age of 62. What a day it was and one I will not soon forget. A HUGE thank you to my wife for putting together the HUGE homemade lunch. If it had been completely dark I do believe you would have been able to see the sparks flying off the spoons and forks. In the end it was a special day because most of our family were able to be there, together, one more time.

I’ve written about the 62 issue more than once. It is what it is and there is some comfort in realizing that the look ahead planning as it relates to various options are now tangible in the present tense. That in and of itself is a threshold change. It’s not that I have become bullet proof in terms of my status but it does mean I can seriously consider new alternatives as I move forward. I was recently scanning through an extensive government study on aging and retirement completed in 2005 and it had some very interesting data. On average most people close to or in their early retirement years significantly underestimate their life expectancy. It seems that if you are in your early 60’s, then 80 is the most likely target people use for planning, but the facts show that huge numbers are living well past that mark. I must admit that’s the number I’ve had in mind since beginning to look at options, but as with all things related to life and death, the final result is in God’s hands.

This means that many people do live to be able to legitimately echo Mark Twain’s famous quote, “If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself.” Those of us who are believers have to try to balance common sense planning so that it fits into our ‘one day at a time’ walk with God. This can be challenging as we seek to honor God’s providential care while also being a good steward over the life and resources He has given to us. Days like yesterday demand a response of gratefulness and thankfulness to God for the blessings He does allow in my life. And, I do give Him the thanks for it all.

Walking through the door marked 62 is now a closed chapter but it remains to be seen what the script will be moving forward. I almost pulled the trigger on that AARP membership one day last week but I wasn’t quite ready to click that confirm button. My wife tells everyone that I am a committed procrastinator but I rather like to think I engage in thoughtful deliberations. She would likely say, “It’s only $12.50 a year, how long does your thoughtful study take?” She’s been for us joining since we received that first notice many years ago. In time my dear, everything in its own time. The other day while at the doctor they made me wait over 30 minutes in the examination room. I finished going over some notes for Sunday’s Bible lesson and then began to peruse all the different displays, charts, and models sitting around the room. Hidden in the back on the window ledge was a plastic object and it had a tear off questionnaire on the front. Those questions dealt with symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and I quickly ran through them. Hey, I know folks in their 40’s who would hit on some of these and I hit on a few of them myself. Lesson learned. Next time I won’t be so nosy as I patiently wait my turn because we all know that ignorance is bliss or something like that. (Maybe it’s fat, dumb, and happy, I will have to spend some time thinking about it.) At any rate, all of this is more than enough for one day and one blog, especially on a Monday. (The short and sweet box was not checked on my DNA blueprint!) Have a great rest of the week and may God bless. Amen. ....More later.