Archive

October 2017

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Living fully when it’s difficult just to live

  Sometimes I hear this voice inside my head: “It’s easy for you to be positive about this aging thing, Bob. You’re not neck-deep in troubles!” The voice may be right—“living fully” could feel like empty-headed, Pollyanna-ish puffery if someone’s physical, emotional, financial or relational conditions aren’t all that good. I should probably listen to that voice, too. If I bent my ear in thatMORE...

You’re doing the best you can

  A word of grace for those of you who care for an elderly person: You probably have less reason to feel guilty about your level of care than you might imagine. To say that another way: You’re probably doing the best you can with the resources, energy and capabilities that are available to you. Caring for an older neighbor, friend or family member is perhaps the most complicated andMORE...

Something could break

  Many items in our homes—appliances, automobiles, toys, structures, systems, furniture— may be poised at the edge of a sudden breakdown. Rust grows and corrodes; tiny internal parts fracture; elements burn out or mysterious materials stop working. In many cases, we have no warning about an impending breakdown, and so are surprised when a fuel pump stops working, a pipe bursts, a roof leaksMORE...

How to grow old?

    Perhaps I missed it—I read mostly non-fiction—but I could really use a story with a title something like This is How You Age Well. A tale of inspiring, even epic proportions. Sound familiar? If so, you may also appreciate the other side of that narrative: YOU may be a good teacher for others who want to understand how to move into their older years with grace and satisfaction. EvenMORE...

A memories jar

Most of us want to be remembered after we’ve died. Many of us might not think about the value of our leaving behind some artifacts—memories embedded in memorable items—that will help others continue their fond memories of us. (Remember that tender reminiscences can be powerful motivations for behaviors that emulate what a dearly departed friend or relative embodied.) Suzy Strunk of suburbanMORE...

Giving up (or not)?

I’ve seen it coming in too many of the older people I know and love: Throwing in the towel—giving up or just not keeping up. Not caring about most things. Letting life and limb go to pot. Perhaps you’ve experienced small indications that this kind of thinking is germinating inside your spirit…? It’s easy to say that spiritually minded folks shouldn’t give up on life. But as we get older, someMORE...

Looming repairs, encroaching stuff

Many of us who are older will eventually face two facts: Our homes will need extensive repairs, AND we will run out of places to store our possessions. These two certainties can begin to overwhelm us. The repairs won’t be minor—think replacing large appliances or appurtenances—and the stuff we’ve accumulated will encroach on our quality of life. During our older years, it takes considerable cashMORE...

Pity this writer,please?

The impetus for my blatant appeal to your kindness comes from trying to write about you accurately and respectfully. I am talking about the difficulties that come when I use almost any term that might describe you! Let me illustrate… If I refer to you as a geezer, graybeard or codger, I am talking only about guys like my Great-uncle Harry, who shaved haphazardly, scared us kids with hisMORE...

Who’s paying attention to you?

Attention is the most basic commodity of human existence. Basic questions: If no one pays attention to something, what good is it? Who’s giving attention to whom? Because attention is valuable, who’s willing to pay for it? When you get old, another question arises–you know what’s coming, right?—Who pays attention to old people? You’ve had this happen, I’m sure: You say or do something andMORE...

Waiting Room Redemption

I spend significant time in the waiting rooms of my several doctors. It struck me recently that this was a time that could be repurposed for godly purposes, and hence redeemed! The time in a waiting room time can be a way to restore spirits, dispel distressing emotions or rescue your fullest spiritual identity. People watching prayers The weight of illnesses or continuing medical conditions sitsMORE...

Bob Sitze

BOB SITZE has filled the many years of his lifework in diverse settings around the United States. His calling has included careers as a teacher/principal, church musician, writer/author, denominational executive staff member and meat worker. Bob lives in Wheaton, IL.

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