From Joshua 14, Verses 11-13, we find the proclamation of an 85 year old Caleb, "As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in. Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the Lord spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the Lord will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the Lord said. And Joshua blessed him, and gave unto Caleb the son of Jephunneh Hebron for an inheritance."

I want to again start off today's edition, on this Friday, March 2, 2018, with a look back at a snippet from my blog written 10 years ago. I was writing about how mom, dad, Uncle Asa, and Uncle Waymon were all up in their years, but still serving the Lord in their own ways. Today, only Uncle Waymon of these four is left and he is pretty much confined due to his advanced age and health. They all have created their own legacies of living out their faith, and we can learn from them. Here's what I was talking about, way back then:

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2008

Pass It On!

My grandfather whom we called Paw Paw Mac and my grandmother, Granny Mac, produced eight offspring. The three remaining siblings are now all in their eighties. My mom is the only girl left out of three, and she has an older and a younger brother. They all have been retired from their regular jobs for many years but none of them have retired from the ministry God has given to them. Often when I call my mom she has just finished putting together a meal for a former pastor who is practically disabled with rheumatoid arthritis. She also consistently shares prayer requests with me about those she is concerned about. The week before last her younger brother sent me an email and asked us to pray for him because he was preparing to speak to a group of forty who were preparing themselves to serve others in a special way. My wife and I were privileged to honor his request as we prayed for him before his meeting. Mom’s older brother sends out many emails each day, many have scriptures or spiritual truths, words of encouragement, and things that might bring a smile. My point is this: they are all still active in serving in their own special way.

Uncle Asa and Uncle Waymon saw combat in WWII, along with my dad, who passed away in 1954. My stepfather was retired from the US Army and served in Korea and Vietnam. Their example is one that we, as a family, are genuinely proud of. There are many reasons these folks come from a population group that has been given the name, The Greatest Generation. In short, they led in helping to save the world from tyranny. I tell folks all the time how that my observations say these folks were put together differently than subsequent generations. I don't know how to sort all of that out, but, like I say, I've been a witness to the character and integrity of their lives. Maybe it was the Great Depression. Maybe it was the God-ordained values handed down to them by their parents. Or, as some have it, maybe it was the times they lived in and the cause that called them. My guess is that it reflects all of the above and then some. I do know this, we who followed them are blessed to have been influenced by their example, their toughness, and their fortitude. Because of that, I pause to thank God for them and for His provision in allowing me to know them all and to have such respect for them. God is to be praised for having them as a part of our lives and our legacy. Amen and Amen.

What a week! My take: It flys by whether you are having fun or not. The other day I was visiting with a fellow and in the conversation, he asked my age. I told him and he said that I was doing really well for my age. Do what? This guy should have seen dad doing 'can to can't', (or daylight to dark for some who may not get it), at age 85. Doing well. For my age? He obviously is not clued in on all the assessments heralding how that 70 is the new 40, or 50, or 60, and even one says the new 65. Hey, if it's even 5 years, that is pretty good. Doing well. For my age. I know he meant well. Things like that strike me as being funny in a not so funny way. After all, this white hair and beard are not provided as a disguise. I read the explanation of how white hair occurs in an overview prepared for children. Don't you know the children found that to be so-o-o-o interesting? The explanation went into all the scientific stuff, in pretty simple language, but, I'll give you a summary of how it happens. When you get old, things in your body don't work exactly like they did when you were younger. Of course, premature gray or white is typically in a different category. Therefore, I can testify that I got mine the old-fashioned way. I was somewhat disappointed to see them telling kids that they, as children, are not responsible for their parent's gray hairs, regardless of what they may have been told. There they go again, they just can't leave well enough alone, so they take away another threat tool. Now it's time to say so long for now. I do hope you have a wonderful Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. See you next time, where, Lord willing, I will have the ability, at my age, to somehow manage to hunt and peck and hit the keys hard enough to get a message formed. Just joking. May God bless. Amen. ....More later.