This Little Light of Mine

ANCIENT OF DAYS

by Larry VanHoose

Old is relative. When I was a small boy, I thought teenagers were old and all grown up and I wanted to be like them. Then as a teenager, I dreamed of the day when I was old enough to do whatever I wanted, no restrictions! That day came and went, and pretty soon I started to look forward to the day when I was older, wiser, and maybe wouldn’t do stupid stuff so frequently. Now I am at that longed-for age, and I still do stupid stuff pretty regularly. When is old enough really old enough? And when does that promised wisdom from old age kick in? Do things really get better with age? Maybe the answer to that question is relative also. Certainly, some things appear to get better with age: classic cars, fine wine, famous autographs, trading cards, cheddar cheese, cast iron skillets, leather, fishing stories, and maybe technology. But what about us? I do think we can get better as we age, but often it will take strong effort, a few good choices, and something else I’ll touch on later. There are traits we can work hard to develop that allow us to age more gracefully. Character and relationship items like selfconfidence, anxiety, happiness, empathy, friendships, family relationships, communication, and even decision-making skills can improve as we get older just to name a few. And who doesn’t want those things to improve? For my church, I recently underwent a well-known marriage counseling training program. One of the key questions the facilitator-to-be (me) was asked, “What communication skills would you like to improve?” I was given a list of ten possible answers to prioritize and then my top three were shown back to me. I chose these three: 1) Reserving opinion until the right time; 2) Coming across as personally warm; and 3) expressing more genuine interest. All good things and to be desired certainly, but changes like that don’t just happen because we desire them – changing ourselves is hard! Max Lucado states, when referring to a person’s advancing age in his book, He Still Moves Stones, that “You can take the safe route, or you can hear the voice of God’s adventure. Follow God’s impulses. Adopt the child. Move overseas. Teach the class. Change careers. Make a difference. Your last chapters can be your best chapters. God’s oldest have always been among his choicest.” I believe those words, “God’s oldest…” from the last sentence in that quote hold the key to transformation. Maybe even the one word, “God’s.” To age well as a person, we must start there. Are you God’s own? Does he own your heart? If not, it’s never too late. My aging father was a stubborn old man, and he was determined to do nearly everything on his own, seldom asking for help and almost always refusing charity (at our family’s expense). As a man with a physical handicap, he didn’t want to appear needy. He swore he had things under control and when it was obvious he didn’t, well he swore some then too. He finally realized though, as we lay my sister in her grave at only forty-three years old, that we folks really have little control over our circumstances and the storms that life throws at us. The best that we can do is trust God which he came to do that very day. He gave his heart to the Lord at the ripe old age of 72. See, you’re never too old to age better. But that best first step is to stop going it alone and let the one who’s always been there set your feet in the right direction on the right path. Then the next step you take can be the first step towards a new, better life. Trust in the new King of your life and then, old age be #$%*!

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14 NIV

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THE BARN

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laurel laurel oak farmoak farm 276-236-4137 108 S. Main St.

Nestled on 55 Secluded Acres in the Virginia Mountains Nestled on 55 Secluded Acres in the Virginia Mountains Galax, VA Laurel Oak is your ideal destination for: Mountain Retreat Laurel Oak is your ideal destination for:Please Call Weekend Getaways or Extended Stay Church Groups / Weddings / Wedding Receptions Family or Mountain Retreatfor Current Hours High School Reunions Shopping ExcursionsWeekend Getaways or Extended Stay A Family Owned & Operated Full-Service Uninterrupted Business Travel Located just 30 miles North of Mount Airy in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia Church Groups / Weddings / Wedding Receptions Family or High School Reunions Jewelry Store Established in 1977 laureloakrentals.comShopping Excursions Uninterrupted Business Travel

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