Category Archives: Mature

My Story

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I wrote my own story in 500 words, making sure I did not leave out the failures and mistakes that were also part of the tapestry of my life so far.

I wrote my own story in 500 words, making sure I did not leave out the failures and mistakes that were also part of the tapestry of my life so far.

No matter how old I feel, I know that I am in the final quarter of the game.  There is a lot of living left, but I think often about what I want to leave behind for the people I love.  The essence of connection to other people is “being known” and I want those I love to know who I am and what I am about.

Obviously, I will leave behind all my stuff and whatever money I have accumulated, but what I really want to leave is the ideas and beliefs that have driven everything along the way.  Continue reading →

Alone, Not Lonely

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Some love the constant give-and-take of the company of other people, but in my world, alone is good.

Some love the constant give-and-take of the company of other people, but in my world, alone is good.

Alone-ness is typically equated with loneliness, but that is just not the case with me.  I like being alone!  It is during the time I spend with myself and my own thoughts and feeling where I find the best refreshment and regain perspective on every topic.  I live alone and I am almost never lonely. I am also rarely bored or at a loss as to how to use my time.  In fact, I am convinced that my life will run out before I have the opportunity to pursue all my interests.

Maybe you are like me and actually need hours alone every day. Continue reading →

Eternal Value

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This new venture with my son has me thinking about the importance of investing in the spiritual lives of children and in their character development. This morning I heard a speaker say... “Professional success without a successor is failure.”

This new venture with my son has me thinking about the importance of investing in the spiritual lives of children and in their character development. This morning I heard a speaker say... “Professional success without a successor is failure.”

Recently my youngest son asked me to join him on Sunday mornings for the whole summer to teach the bible to young children who are 6 and 7 years old. I was thrilled to say yes! Our teaching team will get together each Saturday morning for the summer season to eat breakfast together and to and plan for the next days lesson. Although I do not know all the adult who will be on the team as yet, I am looking forward to the whole process.

We will focus on the life of a Peter, one of the disciples of Jesus who began as a fisherman and became a great spiritual leader whose influence has impacted generations. Continue reading →

Pay it Forward

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Find a younger person that is living in the storm of life right now that you have lived in the past. There are no NEW problems, just recycled ones!

Find a younger person that is living in the storm of life right now that you have lived in the past. There are no NEW problems, just recycled ones!

As we get older, there is a natural drift toward isolation. Senior men and women begin to feel marginalized as their world shrinks and the choices are not as wide open as they were in the past. So how can we find meaning and purpose for our lives during the final season? How can we invest ourselves during the final season?

We live our lives forward, but we understand them by looking backward. Continue reading →

Marriage

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It is beautiful to see and hear from lovers who are still devoted to one another after 50 years together.

It is beautiful to see and hear from lovers who are still devoted to one another after 50 years together.

My son in-laws parents celebrated 50 years together today as family, friends and coworkers gathered to congratulate and honor this much-loved couple. We heard the same songs that were part of their original wedding ceremony and ate a copy of the wedding cake that was part of their first special day together.  I for one enjoyed looking at all the posted pictures of Paula and Jim’s family over the years.

All three of their sons have families of their own now, and each one was introduced including all the children which included new baby. Continue reading →

A GOOD Night

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Those nights are over!

Those nights are over!

It was a joke in my family… one that I never wanted to hear and NEVER had me laughing! “Mom snores loud enough to wake the dead” was the comment. I couldn’t do anything about that problem so I thought I just had to live with it.

I began to notice that I was really dragging by late afternoon and desperately wanted to take a nap. Of course that was rarely possible, but the feeling would not go away. Continue reading →