Serving up this, that, and the other, buffet style!

Short work week. Check. Friday. Check. Brand new month. Check. Now we are ready to get ourselves up and going. Are you ready? We all need to hit our marks as we do our best to make something of this day, the 1st day of June 2018. I've been at this 'getting older' game for quite some time. Here's something I wrote eleven years ago in May of 2007: "Many Bible scholars believe the Apostle John was very elderly when God inspired him to pen his Gospel, his three letters or epistles, and The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Some believe he was in his late eighties or early nineties whenever this inspired text came gushing forth from his heart. Just think about it. We have a world today given over to fortune, fame, celebrity, and youth. But people are still totally knocked down by John’s writings, especially the prophetic visions contained in The Revelation. It has become a billion-dollar business as people seek after novels, stories, music, movies, and attend conferences and seminars, trying to grasp the meaning of John’s words. Somehow I find it ironic that a culture that has little appreciation for older people would be flipping out over the 2,000-year-old words of a ninety-year-old man. He was the last writer of the New Testament era. What is really sad is how people fail to see that the Bible contains much more than just fantastic images about the future. It contains words to live by each and every day and those words tell us that God cares about every person regardless of their age, color, nationality, or status in life. This means we should honor those who are older in our society, and especially those who have proven themselves in their walk with God. We should respect them, and seek out their counsel and their input because this is what God tells us to do, period, end of story. This means you can also be nice to me as well!"

High mileage with the White Hair to prove it!

When I wrote that I was within three months of being the ripe old age of 61 years. Maybe my wife is right. She thinks that either I was born in the wrong century or I've had an older person's orientation for way too long. I don't really know how to argue that other than to provide these verses of inspired input from God's Word, The Bible: "You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:32 ~ "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you." Deuteronomy 32:7 ~ "Listen to Me, O house of Jacob, And all the remnant of the house of Israel, Who have been upheld by Me from birth, Who have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you! I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you." Isaiah 46:3-4 ~ "The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 16:31 ~ "The glory of young men is their strength, And the splendor of old men is their gray head." ~ Proverbs 20:29 ~  That should do for now. I remind us all that each one is unique and my perspective in life is the one that has come out of my journey. Yours may be different. God loves us all. Anyway. Young, old, and everyone in between. I say Amen to that!

Last Saturday I spent several hours watching some documentaries focusing on those who served in a variety of wars fought by our country. These programs were aired in celebration of The Memorial Day remembrance. Many of the interviews were of very elderly WWII veterans. In reliving their experiences often the tears flowed. In particular, when they recounted the loss of their comrades. One gentleman said folks thought we must have had some profound insights at the time we went into battle. He went on to say they were 18-year-olds and all they knew was to do what they were told to do. They lamented the fact their fallen buddies never had the opportunity to have their own families and how the memories of them had never faded. Maybe that's one of the reasons they are called the Greatest Generation, "All we knew was to do what we were told to do." The films were hard to watch. They were the actual footage from the carnage that took place in battle after battle. Gut wrenching and heart hurting, but, I came away with a renewed respect for those in our family along with friends who answered the call and some who did not come back alive. May God comfort the families and those, like these elderly soldiers, who still today mourn their loss. Have a great Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. I will do my best to show up come next Monday morning. Until then, may God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.