They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green,
to declare: “The Lord is just; He is my rock…”
Psalm 92:14,15

OLD BODY—YOUNG EYES

by Syb Brodie

I have always been blessed with an abundance of energy.  The normal pace for me has been more of a steady trot than a walk.  People are always saying to me… “slow down, relax, take it easy”.  But, that’s never been my bodies pace!  They seem to think I will drop dead on the spot from exhaustion, but I liken myself to the EverReady Bunny, and I just keep ‘going and going’, probably due to my pacemaker!

My eyes see something that needs doing or is going to create a problem, and my body jumps into high gear trying to correct the situation.  I sometimes liken it to a ‘Martha’ syndrome, as it often distracts me from what is really needed at the time.
In the last couple of years though, I have noticed a very troubling change happening in me.  I have these young energetic eyes, that has my brain convinced they belong in a young body!  Well they do until… my young eyes look in a mirror and I think “Who is this person and why are you invading my body and sabotaging my trot?”
Or… until my old body balks and says to my young eyes “I quit!” and completely runs out of fuel even though I just refilled the tank!
Or when… my old body says “time to stop and rest”, that makes my body sit down in a chair to rest, read a book, or horror of horrors, a few times I have fallen asleep amid thoughts of what my young eyes are itemizing needs doing.  Much to my dismay My old body is taking over more and more of my young eyes delusional territory.
However, I have noticed there is an upside to this dilemma.  The times my old body forces me to rest has opened up some wonderful opportunities for me to listen and talk more with Jesus.  It helps me to pay more attention to the problems of others around me.  This gives me the opportunity to pray for them, often right there on the spot.  And that seems to satisfy my young eyes and old body at the same time.
That is… until I hear the words “Ok time to rock and roll!”  That’s when my young eyes snap open and my old body feels young again, gung-ho to tag along with whatever Jesus puts before me.
Here’s what I get from tagging along with Jesus.
* Adventures of which I could never have dreamed or imagined.
* Gifts graciously endowed to me that I could never accomplish on my own.
* A heart overflowing with love for others, even those whom I don’t see eye to eye.
* A Joy unstoppable, unspeakable.  I can’t explain it.  It is just there, even in the down times.
* A glimpse of eternal splendor!  Wow, talk about ‘Out of this World!’
* A body that may look old to others, but God sees as an instrument He can still use to accomplish His purposes.
* Young eyes that somehow know Jesus will give this old body the strength to accomplish His will.
So all you old or aging bodies out there comfort yourself with this thought…  In Heaven I am considered a ‘Babe in the Woods’ and as far as eternity is concerned my eyes and my body are really still in the infancy stage. 

 

Weather Forecaster

To tell the weather, go to your back door and look for the dog.
If the dog is at the door and he is wet, it’s probably raining.
But if the dog is standing there really soaking wet,
it is probably raining really hard.
If the dog’s fur looks like it’s been rubbed the wrong way,
it’s probably windy.
If the dog has snow on his back, it’s probably snowing.
Of course, to be able to tell the weather like this, you have to
leave the dog outside all the time,
especially if you expect bad weather.
Sincerely, The CAT
Thanks to Pastor Tim
You Make Me Laugh
Crosswalk.com