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Growing Old

turnorburn

Member
Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 44 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:"

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends & parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. The 2nd one is up to you & no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words ''In 5 years, will this matter?"
26. Always choose life.
27. Forgive everyone everything.
28. What other people think of you is none of your business.
29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.
30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
31. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
32. Believe in miracles.
33. People love you because of who you are.
34. Don't audit life. Show up & make the most of it now.
35. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
36. Your children get only one childhood.
37. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
38. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
39. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd
grab ours back.
40. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
41. The best is yet to come.
42. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up & show up.
43. Yield.
44. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

turnorburn
 
Thanks for sharing this ! How true it is.............

I am 74 and have been wondering why I am still around . I want to go home to the Lord !
I am quite sure our children are saved, and there children. So no worry there.

My husband and I both keep telling each other , " I am going home first"
He has more aches and pains then I do, so I see why. But I am 2 months older, so I should go first.
 
Thanks for sharing. Lee. :)


Hi Grams,
I believe #35 may explain why you are still here. :amen 74 isn't that old anymore. I am 52 and my dad is 77. But if you knew my dad, you'd never know it! Sometimes he acts as if he is younger than me! :lol
 
.

My my, how information gets discombobulated when it travels across the miles....
:shrug


Regina Brett is NOT 90 years old.

She is a young 53 year old.


[attachment=0:bz6zl8n3]Regina Brett.jpg[/attachment:bz6zl8n3]


Yes, she does write for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Being from Cleveland myself, I read her column quite often.

Here is an excerpt from her web site:

50 Life Lessons

The single most popular column ever written by Regina was "50 Life Lessons,"written for The Plain Dealer when she turned 50 years old in 2006. Despite what you may have read on the internet, Regina is NOT 90 years old !! You can read the original column here(and a recent column by Regina about the "internet aging process" here) .

And here is the link to her home page: Welcom to Regina Brett.com

Hope this helped... :thumb


.
 
:waving

What a good topic~ it is a sound way to remind me how VERY temporary this tiny span that we live really is... I NEED to remember how unimportant so many things really are OFTEN!


Thanks for sharing this ! How true it is.............

I am 74 and have been wondering why I am still around . I want to go home to the Lord !
I am quite sure our children are saved, and there children. So no worry there.

My husband and I both keep telling each other , " I am going home first"
He has more aches and pains then I do, so I see why. But I am 2 months older, so I should go first.

I am 56 and I share your hearts - desires Grams~ though I am not probably considered old enuf to say so. Still it does SEEM better to go on into the eternal arms of our Lord than to remain behind... struggling through. Life can be so terribly HARD sometimes ya know?

Here is a beautiful song that I love to sing...

[youtube:2mgs86cm]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dca0P7w9ZQ[/youtube:2mgs86cm] :thumb

YOU CAN HAVE~ ALL THIS WORLD~ just give me: JESUS

And when I come to die... Give me Jesus... and let it be as soon as possible Lord.
:shades

Only Him, sweetest Most lovely Jesus~ all I need...
~Bonnie
 
vic said........
Hi Grams,
I believe #35 may explain why you are still here. 74 isn't that old anymore. I am 52 and my dad is 77. But if you knew my dad, you'd never know it! Sometimes he acts as if he is younger than me!
:wave
I often thought the 50's were old. Nope not for me 70's have started it . But then again , some times
if feel I am in the 50's when I see how my husband is doing.


Hello sheshisown , :wave
Thank you for posting that song. I love it !
 
As people, we sometimes have funny concepts about growing old. We don’t want to become old, but neither do we want to die young. Douglas MacArthur is quoted as saying, “Nobody grows old by merely living a number of years. People grow old only by deserting their ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up interest in life and living wrinkles the soul. Worry, doubt, self-distrust, fear and despair – these are the long, long years that bow the head and turn the growing spirit back to dust.†As we grow older, we need to consider that “how†we grow old is far more important than how “old†we grow. In this article, let’s observe the following biblical perspectives of growing old:

1) God wants us to grow old wisely – Job said, “Wisdom is with aged men, with long life is understanding†(Job 12:12). The lessons of hardship, success and failure we learn in life should be passed on to the younger generation (Psalm 71:17-18) and hopefully the younger generation will have enough wisdom to listen (Proverbs 2:1-2).

2) God wants us to grow old righteously – The Proverb writer tells us, “The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness†(Proverbs 16:31 – NKJV). May God bless the older man or woman who, day by day, grows more closely into the likeness of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:15; Gal. 2:20).

3) God wants us to grow old in serving Him – Luke tells us of the prophetess Anna who, at the age of 84 “….did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day†(Luke 2:37 – NKJV). A member of the Lord’s church was heard saying, “All I can do is pray.†All I can do? My, how we underestimate the power of prayer in our lives! (Ephesians 6:18; cf. Luke 18:1-8; Romans 12:12; Colossians 4:2).

4) God wants us to grow old trusting Him – God promised to His people, “Even to your old age I shall be the same, And even to your graying years I shall bear you! I have done it, and I shall carry you; And I shall bear you and I shall deliver you†(Isaiah 46:4 – NASV).

Conclusion

There is no doubt that we will grow old if we continue living upon this earth (Ecclesiastes 12:1-6). However, as we stated in the beginning of this article, “how†we grow old is far more important than how “old†we grow. Let us have the same attitude toward serving the Lord in our later years as Caleb, never quitting (or retiring), but asking the Lord to continue giving him more challenges ¢â‚¬Âmountainsâ€Â) to conquer and overcome with the Lord’s help (Joshua 14:12).

http://preachersfiles.com/the-biblical- ... owing-old/
 
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