“It is not often that anyone can have so much knowledge of another as is necessary to make instruction useful.” Samuel Johnson
As I get older, I get questions on how life works. I’ve given up trying to give people specific advice since I know today’s world bears little resemblance to my world at their age. It’s so much easier (and less responsibility) to just share my experience, my consequences when I made bad choices, my lessons learned. Anything beyond that is insulting at best, and borderline meddling at worst. Recently I was asked how I got promoted at work. I had no idea about the policies and culture at her job, so anything based on my career path would likely sound like a party-line by comparison. So I merely said, “I did the very best job in my current position.”
What are your thoughts? Libby
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“One of the things that frustrates me about modeling is that you’re judged solely on how you look. When you get older, you’re judged more on the person you are, and that’s a great reward…I view aging as a blessing.” Kathy IrelandMy husband and I were laughing at ourselves. We’d get out of bed and for the first few minutes we’d walk slowly until we adjusted our stiff and sore joints. For me it was my lower back and a recent injury to my left hip and knee that’s taking a while to mend. Saturday I was relaying this conversation to a friend and we laughed at the fact that younger people are so concerned with gray hair and wrinkles. In our diatribe we discussed the freedom from hair color and face-lifts was a gift of those who have aged to the point where health has supplanted appearance as a more important measure of aging. We had to laugh at ourselves, too, because we each genuinely had to admit we’d wasted some of our youth and part of our health to learn this lesson.
Finally, we agreed with the all-too-familiar maxim: “Growing old is not for sissies.” Are you more concerned about your outside appearance? Have you invested in visual improvements while procrastinating on priorities that help retain physical and mental vigor? What will you do today to promote quality of life versus merely appearance of youth? Lord, thank You for allowing me to laugh at myself, but more importantly to recognize the importance of health—while I still have my health—on retaining a vital, fun, and useful life as I age. Amen “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” II Corinthians 4:16 “The glory of the young is their strength, but the splendor of the old is their gray hair.” Proverbs 20:29 What are your thoughts? Libby
Note: Marguerite, Comtesse of Blessington (1789-1849), an Irish novelist, journalist and literary hostess, known for writing a book about her conversations with Lord Byron; in addition to writing other novels and articles her home was distinguished as a meeting place for notable literary, education, art, science and fashion personalities of the day; it was at her home that Hans Christian Andersen first met Charles Dickens.
“Do not consider painful what is good for you.” EuripidesThe cereal commercial of forty years ago is still recognizable to many. The two older boys didn’t want to try the ‘healthy’ breakfast cereal until they watched their younger brother enjoy it. I don’t remember the brand of cereal, but I’ll never forget the commercial or the words, “Mikey likes it!”
When I got in a fight with my sister I used to have to kiss and make up. I hated it. But when I did something wrong as an adult, no one needed to tell me it was wrong. I knew what I needed to do. I just hated to apologize. Fortunately I also discovered—eventually—it felt far better to suffer the embarrassment of an apology than to carry the burden of needing to apologize around.
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 What are your thoughts? Libby
“It is rather for us to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg AddressWhen the bully is picking on one of the smaller kids, it’s up to the bigger kids to protect them. If it’s possible to condense a sermon into one sentence, this would be it. The Sunday before Dessert Shield turned into Dessert Storm in January 1991, my pastor gave this sermon. A Scottish-born, naturalized citizen of the United States, he was trying to help us US-born citizens come to terms with why we were going to war half-way around the world. Our pastor shared that many other countries felt the same sadness, injustice, and longing to help, while watching Iraq invaded Kuwait. But, the smaller country of Scotland could do little without the coalition headed by the US, ‘the biggest kid on the block.’ So our volunteer military go around the world to defend freedom that will keep the smaller countries from falling, one by one. This will, we always hope, keep the Bully from eventually coming to our shores to challenge the freedoms we enjoy. Everyone who enlists in the military has to face the fact that their choice may include a call to the front line. This is no different from firefighters and police who know the dangers of their chosen profession. They all know that the costs, but when weighed in the balance, they choose to server and protect.
The past two weeks my husband has been riding through all kinds of weather from Auburn, CA, to Washington D.C. with the National Veteran’s Awareness Organization. They honor veteran at thirteen veteran’s homes and hospitals; they honor the fallen, POWs, and MIAs at eleven memorial sites; and they educate the youth at four schools to better understand the role of our military and to encourage their ROTC programs. Although not all of us will join the military, police, or fire department, we all need to be “dedicated to the great task remaining before us,” to carry on the work of freedom. Picnics are great. Gathering to enjoy time with family and friends is among the freedoms we enjoy. But let’s not take it for granted that our children will absorb the history of Memorial Day through osmosis. We need to do the work of freedom by teaching them that Freedom isn’t free; to prevent all who have perished to not "have died in vain." John F. Kennedy said, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." Will you join me in committing to do the work of freedom? Are you doing something today with family or friends? How can you incorporate a sense of remembrance into your Memorial Day celebration? Lord, You were the first to teach that all people are created equal and the concept of ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ May we keep alive these values, ”…with liberty and justice for all,” in our country and around the world. “For you were called to freedom…only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13 What are your thoughts? Libby
“The most profound affinities are those most readily felt.” George Santayana“Dennis asked his doctors to stop all meds except pain killer,” my husband, Wayne, told me over the phone on our daily call. Wayne left for his annual ride to Washington DC three days before but continued following his friend’s condition on Facebook and phone calls to his wife, Margie. “Dennis is at peace, he’s ready to go home; but pray for Margie, she’s struggling with his decision.”
Wayne had only been gone a few days and I was feeling sorry for myself because I was lonely. But now, just thinking about Margie and what she must be feeling, I couldn’t imagine how hard it would be to know it was only days, or maybe hours, before my husband would be gone…permanently.
Lord willing I only have to wait eight days. But it’s the same faithful God we trust, the same hope we look forward to. Is there someone you feel an affinity with? Is your mutual affinity based on the same hope? How can you leverage that affinity to further grow that relationship? Lord, I’m grateful this separation from Wayne has heightened my affinity for what Margie is going through so I can better pray for her comfort and the many life adjustments she now faces. Amen “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love.” Ephesians 4:2 “Bear one another’s burdens…” Galatians 6:2 What are your thoughts? Libby Note: Jorge Agustin Nicolas Ruiz de Santayana y Borras, known in English as George Santayana (1863-1952), a Spanish philosopher, essayist, poet and novelist known for his aphorisms such as: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” and “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” “The great thing about getting older is that you don’t lose all the other ages you’ve been.” Madeleine L’engleWhen my dad was sick we spent a Saturday together. We went to lunch at an outdoor café, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, and then we walked the mall with no particular destination or shopping list. At one point he saw me admire a dress in the window of a shop. Dad passed away in 1983, but I still have the dress. Just looking at it takes me back to the memory of that day with Dad. No matter how old or gray I get, I will always remember what it is like to be a princess in my father’s eyes.
When I get to heaven I’ll have two fathers waiting for me, and I’ll be a girl again…a princess in their eyes. Can you remember an age that you most enjoyed? Do you have pictures or keepsakes that take you back there? What can you do to store a memory of today for you to remember in the future? “Light tomorrow with today.” Elizabeth Barrett Browning Lord, thank You for imprinting moments in my mind, for triggering those memories at just the right time, and for the joy, inspiration, and comfort they bring. Amen “Let days speak, and many years teach wisdom.” Job 32:7 “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” II Corinthians 4:16 What are your thoughts? Libby
Note: Amy Lee Grant (1960- ), an American singer, songwriter, musician, author and media personality, known for crossing-over from contemporary Christian music onto mainstream pop music charts; she’s sold more than 30 million albums, won six Grammys and 22 Gospel Music Dove Awards; she’s most recognized for having the first Christian Platinum album, and in 2006 she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Note: Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861), an English poet first published in her early teens, most remembered for her poem How Do I Love Thee, her work made her a rival to Tennyson as a candidate for poet laureate of Great Briton in 1850; her work influenced British and American poets including Edgar Allan Poe and Emily Dickinson, as well as Robert Browning who became her husband. She also campaigned for the abolition of slavery and child labor legislation. “Hope is the thing with feathers— That perches in the soul— And sings the tune without the words— And never stops— at all— ” Emily DickinsonOn the after-dinner dog walk, the sky in the west was gold, red, orange and pink. When we turned around there was a full moon hanging in the trees in the eastern sky with a soft pink glow. I had to pause to take a mental image and imprint a memory of the perfect moment to have seen both at the same time. The scent of jasmine, the lack of breeze and virtually no traffic gave it one of those surreal affects, like I slipped through the vortex into heaven for a moment.
I often hear people comment on their large front porch or balcony off the bedroom, but I can’t help but wonder if they actually take the time to enjoy their coffee while sitting on the balcony in the morning, or resting on the front porch in the evenings. We will always be busy; we will always have a to-do list; there will always be people that need our help; but I’m learning that taking time to enjoy life—even a simple dog walk at dusk—is part of what fuels my soul for tomorrow’s challenges, and fills me with hope and joy. Have you walked you dog lately? Are you enjoying this year of tremendous blossoms? How can you fit in a few minutes to enjoy the natural world around you? Lord, slow me down so I don’t rush through a dog walk just so I can get back to wash dishes and resume my to-do list. Amen “Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 What are your thoughts? Libby
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” Henry David Thoreau
As it turned out, however, that was the beginning of my journey to faith. Now I can understand, and even relate in my relationship with my husband. Today I strive to make my faith my first priority. Yet, there will always be those who think that putting faith first can lead to becoming a church-aholic. Dana, a friend and missionary in Indonesia, always included in his newsletter prayer list: “Pray that I will please God.” He was a full-time missionary. Wasn’t that enough to qualify him as having put faith first? Since those days I’ve learned that just having faith isn’t necessarily putting God first, it’s the daily behaviors, decisions, choices, and how we handle temptations that reveal where our faith falls in our list of priorities. When I genuinely make God my top priority, it will be reflected in everything…what’s on my schedule, my attention to my health and fitness, time management decisions, work/life balance, financial choices, my tone of voice, my attitude, the willingness to apologize, to do the right thing regardless what others think of me, whose strength I rely on when tempted, and so on. Applying this lesson is not easy. I’ve been working at it for years and still I have friends lovingly point out (on a somewhat regular basis) areas where I need to improve. I’ve also recently heard a description of how God is right there at every point ready to help me with any of the daily challenges. Even when I’m not putting God first, God is still there waiting for me to ask for help, whether it’s help not to procrastinate, or to avoid a food I’m allergic to, or to say ‘No’ when needed, or… Do you profess God is the most important thing in your life? Are you careful to include God in all your daily challenges? If not, what one thing will you do today to practice making God your first priority?
“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” Rick Warren
When this major crisis hit (I cancelled my wedding 9 days beforehand), it was like garbage in-garbage out. Every painful memory from the past came back to haunt me. Every hour, even every few minutes, my mind detoured to the past. I was virtually paralyzed, unable to do much else. My pattern of stuffing my emotions with food or watching movies ceased to work. I was in crisis, crippled by my garbage emotions: anxiety, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, resentment and fear. My only option was to face them and replace them, but I didn’t know how.
Lord, thank You for the resources from the books: Lord, Heal My Hurts, by Kay Author, and Twelve Steps And Twelve Traditions, by Alcoholics Anonymous, that gave me the tools to examine past hurts and replace them with serenity and contentment. Amen “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19 What are your thoughts?
Libby Note: Rick Warren (1954- ), an American evangelical Christian pastor and author, he’s the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, co-founder of Celebrate Recovery, and the bestselling author of many books including The Purpose Driven Life which has sold more than 30 million copies. “There is a courtesy of the heart. It is akin to love. Out of it arises the purest courtesy in outward behavior.” Johann Wolfgang Goethe
They continued to go on about how my horn had made them jump and their hearts were racing. “Mine too,” I said, but that made no difference to them. They were angry and I was the cause, no matter how justified I was at honking my horn.
Today we think of children as just ‘short people’ rather than second-class citizens. We have laws that protect children’s rights, advocates for their needs, and encourage mutual respect and kindness in schools. We’ve come a long way! Or have we? Someone once said, “Courtesy is taught at home by parents who act courteously toward their children.” But, since a generation that might have missed out on common courtesy in their homes are now having children of their own, today's kids may not always get the benefit of having common courtesy role-modeled. So, those not in the habit of practicing common courtesy at home, who will teach them to be courteous to a stranger? Have you experienced a lack of common courtesy recently? Do you get frustrated with how uncommon common courtesy is becoming? What can you do today to role-model courtesy to others? Lord, help me continue to be courteous to other even when they are not always courteous to me. Amen “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you…” Colossians 3:13 What are your thoughts? Libby
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WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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