Aging

Keep Your Eyes On The Road!

/ Andy R Taylor / 3 Comments

Well, it’s just good advice….especially when you’re driving. I’ve got a habit of ‘gawking’, as Julie calls it! I don’t want to miss anything on a road trip. I’ve been known to ride the rumble strips quite a bit and have nearly ran off the road a few times. I know, it’s a bad habit. I’m working on it! (Seems like I say that a lot!)

But keeping your eyes on the road is not just good advice for us while we’re driving….it’s good advice to adhere to while we’re on the ‘road of life’, too! It’s awful easy to keep looking back at the past. There’s lots of people out there who spend most of their time looking back at the past. And most of the time it’s dwelling on mistakes, wrong decisions, hurts and regrets. Don’t get me wrong, I think glancing back at some of these things can be productive….as long as we can learn from our mistakes, correct whatever needs to be corrected and move on. But living in the past is not a good thing, especially if you’re gazing at the negative things. It makes for a discouraging, depressing life.

When we’re anchored in a relationship with the Father we’re able to be encouraged in that….wherever we are in life….it can get better. I think we should at least consider that our best days are in front of us. Looking ahead has some profound benefits (Especially if you’re driving a car!!). But it has some extremely encouraging benefits in life as well. Looking ahead gives us something to ‘live for’. It gives our life meaning. It keeps us growing and evolving into our true identity. 

Experience is a great teacher. We should realize that and make the best of our ‘snafus’. We should approach our life like we do when we’re on a road trip down the interstate. Check the rear-view mirror occasionally, don’t be gawking…..and by all means…..Keep your eyes on the road!

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I’m Going Out on a Limb, Here, And Say It’s Beyond Your Capacity to Imagine!

/ Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

Did another funeral yesterday (#347). It’s always an honor to be asked to do a service for a family. And even though it’s a day of sadness and grief for family and friends….it’s a great opportunity to give them comfort and to tell the ‘good news’. Over the years I’ve seen a lot of different situations with families going through the loss of a loved one. It’s hard when there’s tension among the siblings, which I see a lot more than I’d like to. I feel for the family members who regret not having spent the quality time with the deceased that they feel they should have. There’s dozens of other scenarios that the passing of a family member brings to light. I’ve tried to be as helpful as I possibly could be in those, sometimes volatile…and painful, situations.

There’s nothing like a funeral to bring people’s thoughts on eternal things. I think that can be a very good, very productive thing in people’s lives. Of course, for me and the performing of a funeral….the one thing that can calm all the fears and uncertainty for the family is if the deceased person had a relationship with God. If so, the service can be upbeat and encouraging. Most of the time at least one of the family members knows the answer to the question…but not every time. In those situations where nobody really knows…I always have peace knowing that the Lord is gracious and compassionate….and a fair Judge.

I have an opinion that I can’t prove….so it’s just an opinion…but I’ve thought about it a lot. I think we’ve underestimated death and our passing from this life to the next one. My opinion is that it’s a whole lot more glorious than we would ever think. If the Father is as good to us in this life as He is….it just makes sense that our passing from here to there would be Some Kind of amazing trip! The problem is that we haven’t had anyone come back and tell us how it is.

You may have a really healthy imagination but my opinion is that the trip is glorious beyond our capacity to imagine!

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How Are We Doing in ‘The Thing’ That Matters Most?

/ Andy R Taylor / 2 Comments

Our lives are important. I don’t think I have to convince you of that. But, have you thought about how important your life might be to God? As a Father…..and the One Who actually gives us life to begin with…..you’d think that He would place an extremely high value on our lives and how they’re spent. Life is a very precious thing. I’m aware of that more today, at nearly 62, than I’ve ever been before. I expect the realization of that truth will continue to escalate as we grow older. It’s almost unbelievable how fast the years go by.

As I stop and look both ways, to the past and to the future, I wonder if I have….and if I will, spend my days doing things that have any kind of eternal value. For me, that’s an extremely sobering thought. I really think the Father wants more for our lives than to for us to just take up space and end up in heaven. If we believe that He has a plan for our life we really should go after Him (ask Him) and allow Him to disclose the details so we can ‘get on with the program’!

But as I think of what really matters most only one thing comes to mind. How are we doing in our journey to love like He loves? Some would argue that there’s no way we could ever love like He does. It’s a valid argument. But I really believe that’s ‘the thing’ that He wants ,more than anything else, to produce in us. Oh there’s all kinds of things He wants to use us to accomplish but none any more important than this. I honestly believe it’s do-able….but not without His Spirit to help us in the process. 

Deep down all of us would want to hear at the end, “Well done, good and faithful servant”. And I think that, of all the positive things we might do with our lives, it actually comes down to…..how well did I do at ‘loving’ people?

How well are you doing in ‘the thing’ that matters most?

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Are You Living Longer….or Just Growing Old?

/ Andy R Taylor / 12 Comments

There’s a difference! I remember when I was a kid, when anyone hit 60 that was old, really old!! But I ran past 60 last year so fast it wasn’t funny. And the fascinating thing is….I don’t feel old at all. Maybe it’s just because it just happened so fast. I mean, the years do go flying by. I heard that enough times when I was younger but I had no idea it would happen this fast!

Some people, I’ve noticed, start getting old in their 40’s and 50’s….they just seem determined to do it. But there are others who just keep thinking young. I like that…..I think it’s a mental thing. I think, somewhere along the way they just decided not to be old in their thoughts and actions. Yep, there is a difference in ‘living longer’ and just ‘growing old’. I’m thinking we would be making a huge mistake if we really stopped living our life and just settled in to growing old. Life is a precious thing. It can be pretty vicious at times, but still precious, nonetheless. I say let’s keep squeezing all we can out of life. And while I don’t have all this figured out, here’s a few things I think’ll help:

1) Realize that the Lord’s not through with you! It’s the truth! Even the Bible says that we’re to ‘bear fruit’ in old age.

2) Invest in the next generation! The things we’ve learned through our life experiences are invaluable to them.

3) Stay Active! Make a bucket list…..and why not a long one?! Get busy about doing those things you’ve always wanted to do!

4) Keep using your mind! Challenge yourself and don’t allow your mind to get lazy!

5) Keep Moving! Do something physical every day and don’t wait ’til later on to do it!

6) Take care of your body! Eat good, don’t be dumb about that!

7) Try your best to keep a good, positive attitude! 

8) Be relational! Life is really all about relationships! Engage, interact, enjoy!

Let’s ‘live’ longer…….and not just grow old! *Reply with your ‘tips’ on “Living Longer”

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