This past week on Wednesday morning I was woken up abruptly by my alarm. I distinctly remember shutting off my alarm before going to sleep the night before so I KNOW it had to be the Holy Spirit that wanted me to wake up. I lay there on my bed trying to go back to sleep to no avail. The Spirit was prompting my heart to "write" and to share this as our morning devotional time with YAH. SO I obeyed and I wrote the following message. There is a SPOILER ALERT here so if you happen to read this you can only make comments following this blog. If you post anything on FB I will have to delete it if you say anything in response to the SPOILER ALERT. Now you are wondering what the SPOILER ALERT is all about. Continue reading...Private message on FB are "OK".
The Abundant Life
How many of you feel you are living “The Abundant Life?”
In the Bible, God’s Love Story to us he says in John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Most people don’t know the first sentence in this verse but many know the second. I think as we grow older in life we become one of two people. We are either “joyful” in our old age or we become “melancholy.” As we grow older we stand the chance that we out live many people. Women tend to outlive one or two husbands. Friends move away or die off. Our families have their own lives and we may feel like we are just in the way.
Our life is what we make of it. I discovered that many years ago and more recently it has been brought to light in the lives of a couple of my girlfriend’s whose life have been wrapped up in their children and now their children are going off to college and they have no idea what to do with their lives. It is good to have so much of yourself invested in the lives of your children but there has to be balance. At some point we should have discovered what we love to do, what God lays on our hearts to have a passion for. I learned long ago that my life will not always revolve around my children. It will revolve around my “grandchildren.” I am just kidding!
I am entering a new phase in life that as of “grandmother.” In my heart I always thought that when I became a “grandmother” God would turn my focus to my Grandchildren and it would be time to say “goodbye” to the Ministry of Young at Heart. Two years ago I thought God was telling me to leave the ministry but it was a struggle. That decision didn’t come easy and I can look back and know it was because that wasn’t what God was telling me. Now I am standing in the threshold of a “new” life, a life to live “more abundantly,” more abundantly?
As much as I loved my children I wasn’t satisfied being a wife and mother. I knew God had more in store for my life and I was frustrated with that. It was a good friend that did make me realize that my mission field was my family and I learned to be content. In my times of feeling like a failure as a wife, mother, even a “Christian” I would have those times of depression that I would let no one know about. I worked out of my home for a number of years so I would have that feeling of accomplishment. Home life for me was never ending. The dishes, the laundry, house cleaning. All of that was tedious but I did enjoy my children. We would be off here and there. I would find places to visit that wouldn’t cost anything to take my kids. I have those memories locked in my heart that no one can take from me. I was passionate about spending time with my kids and my husband didn’t care what the house looked like as long as the kids were happy and I had spent time with them.
I can look at my children’s pictures on Facebook that they have found in our piles of photos and know what each of them loved most about growing up. I know without a doubt that this life is meant to be relational. I post pictures on Facebook and I get so many comments about the fun I am having. I appear to be “the traveler” always going from place to place. All that I do is “relational.” Every once in a while you can find me going off by myself but it is always best to have someone with you to experience life with. You always need someone to be able to say to them, “Did you see that?” When I post pictures on Facebook those that look at my photos have that feeling like they are there with me. I can carry my friends with me where ever I go and then take a picture, load it up on Facebook and wait for the comments to come. It is a lot of fun to hear their reactions and at times it’s a little sad especially when one would wish they could be there too but they are stuck in their job. But I may post something that would brighten their day, they smile, I smile and we have relationship.
Christ came that we would have life and have it more abundantly. What does “abundantly” mean to you? When I go off places with many of you (the YAH people) and I hear your comments that if it weren’t for Young at Heart you would be sitting at home rocking your life away. I look at this world that God created and I am so fascinated by everything. In everything you can see God. You can look out at the water and what comes to mind? Jesus walking on the water or Jesus with his fishermen disciples telling them he would make them fisher’s of men. Yesterday we walked in a store that had so many varieties of seashells. Amazing how God would create so many different ones. The palm trees remind me of the desert where Jesus would go and find rest and solace. There is so much in this world that God created for us to enjoy. He came that we would have life and have it more abundantly!
When I think of the women in our group that can no longer go out and enjoy life it makes me sad. Thelma and May would probably give anything to be able to be with us. Margaret Moore wishes she could remember things like she used to. Mary Martin always said, “I wish you would have started 10 years earlier.” (Mary is now with the Lord.) We should all be thankful for what we do have. That we can share this life that God gave us and that we can share our experiences with others. Any of the women I mentioned would love a phone call and have you tell them about the time we had in San Diego. It will jog their memories of places they have been to. As I am writing this I am looking out my sliding glass door and I see a young mother with her 3 year old son taking pictures, making memories. She has no idea what the next 20 years will hold for her but she will have those photos she took on this day and will cherish those memories in her heart.
I imagine each of you have those snapshots in your mind that you can recall. Don’t allow the “thief” in the night rob you of those. When you find that you can’t sleep start praying. Pray for each of your children, pray for your grandchildren, pray for your GREAT grandchildren. Start from the oldest to the youngest and when you go through your entire family then start on the families of your siblings. Remember each of them one by one. Before you know it God will lull you back to sleep.
Is my time with Young at Heart over? Not a chance! God has placed me here to do HIS work and it includes each of you. All you have to do is enjoy it. God gave me life and wants me to have it more abundantly so now he’s given me a grandchild. Have a life more abundantly so that it will spill over to others if you allow it to. Share your experiences with your children, grandchildren and greats. Let your family see you as one that is still enjoying life! As my husband shared with us yesterday in our devotional, “It’s not how you start but how you finish.” Will you finish with a “joyful heart” or one that is “melancholy?”
Don’t lose your “wonder.” I believe that is why God gives us grandchildren and greats so we can continue to see the world through their eyes with “wonder” AND “excitement!”
Prayer: Dear God in Heaven, creator of the universe, I thank you for the life you have given me, for the ability to still walk this earth and to enjoy your creation. Lord, help me to see life with new eyes each day that you give to me. Help me to be thankful for all your bountiful blessings! Each day show me something new that I can see your love for me.
Lord, Thank you for everything, Amen.
I like Duane's comment, "It's not about how you begin but how you finish." It is true. I have friend who are moaning over every wrinkle and every gray hair when we should be embracing all the new challenges and ministries ahead that God has put into our paths.
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