For some people, getting old is a real challenge. And it probably is for many people, but it hasn’t been too much of an issue for me.
Don’t let this get out, but getting old has been more of a blessing than a curse for me. I thought it would be terrible and didn’t know what I would do when I reached that magical retirement age. The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, is several years ahead of me, so she is leading the way.
The other day, for example, she complained about her bones aching, and I said, “Well, my dear, you’re just getting old.”
She replied, “No, it has nothing to do with my age. There is a storm coming, and Mother Nature is warning me to get ready for the storm.”
Evidently, she’s in contact with Mother Nature, who messages her when a storm is coming. When she walked out of the living room, I said, “Tell Mother Nature I said hello.”
Getting old does have its privileges. Because I’m old, for instance, I have the privilege of not remembering things.
Whenever Martha asks me about something, I reply sadly, “Oh, I must be getting old because I don’t remember that.”
The greatest pleasure of getting old has to do with my eating habits.
Last week, I got caught complaining that I couldn’t eat certain vegetables, and my stomach could not handle it anymore. I snuck into the kitchen and got several cookies, and as I turned around to leave, there was Martha in front of me.
“What are you eating?” She said very sternly. “I thought at dinner you said your stomach couldn’t handle anything more for the day.”
I looked at her, tried to smile, and said, “But, my dear, I can’t resist your cookies. You make such delicious and wonderful cookies.” Then, I tried to smile more broadly.
“For your information,” she said, “I didn’t make those cookies. I bought them for our great granddaughter.”
The other day, I had one of those forgetful issues. I was trying to find something in my office, but I just could not find it. I looked everywhere, but it didn’t show up. I was frustrated.
Martha came and said, “What’s wrong? Have you lost your marbles?” And she looked at me and laughed and laughed.
I responded to her by saying, “No, my dear, I have not lost my marbles, they just have retired.”
Looking at me she grinned and said, “Well, maybe you should retire too.”
While I was thinking about my memories I was reminded of what King David said in Psalms:
“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.”
— Psalm 143: 5
Even David thought remembering good things was important. His reflection was on the good things God had done. It is easy for me to forget what God has done in my life.
It’s easy to think of all those bad times in my life. I do that quite often. David’s focus was to meditate on the “good things God has done.” Although there have been bad times in my past, it is important to recognize God’s activity in my life.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected].
