If you value people who are older—and also your own aging—these entries will help you rejoice in the fullness of this stage of life: its gritty realities, secret joys, hidden spirituality and cherished moments—reasons to be grateful that old age is always a gift from God!
A couple of days ago I woke up with more than a tinge of old guy grumpiness—I hadn’t been sleeping well. For whatever reason—perhaps the surprising re-emergence of a Scripture passage memorized when I was very young?—this verse popped into my head: “Be of good cheer…” These words were part of Jesus’ Passover night conversations with his disciples, coming at the end of a series of his admonitionsMORE...
Previously I wrote about coming frailties, from the viewpoint of someone not-yet-there. Today a few additional observations about this eventual part of aging, from perhaps other points-of-view. It’s probably useful to push back against imagined frailties. Giving up on God-given strengths and capabilities doesn’t feel quite right. But that might be more difficult to consider when there areMORE...
Even though I deal with a variety of physical ailments, I don’t yet think of myself as frail. Right now, my body, mind and spirit feel strong and capable. With my spouse, I follow the guidelines for healthy living, keep my doctor appointments, thank God daily for an enviable genetic heritage and avoid the kind of self-talk that could become a woeful, self-fulfilling prophecy about the perils ofMORE...
One of the possible benefits of growing older is the ability to see what might not work. A lifetime of experience can also hone our sense of possible danger. Today I take the risk of offering a warning about the (pressurized, flammable or explosive) expansion of society’s fascination with artificial intelligence. Forgive me for temporarily muting the significance of theological truth in thisMORE...
At worship a few Sundays back, it struck me that Faith Lutheran Church isn’t a pro forma place. Although we work within the boundaries of Scripture, sound doctrine and Christ-centered behaviors, we try not to get caught in ruts that can mire us in stifling ordinariness. We don’t go through the motions just to get by. To stay grounded and balanced, we dig into the core of conventional, customaryMORE...
“What’s Lent all about?” Recently, our pastor—quoting a *long-time friend—observed that “Lent is a time to drop pretense.” That startling idea instantly gathered together most of Lent’s rich contemplations. My thoughts—echoing and buoyed by our pastor’s further sermon observations—turned in these directions…. Pretense? I’ve always thought of it as not-so-good, part of the self-delusions thatMORE...
Over the past several weeks I’ve been trying out a method for bringing small moments of grace into the lives of service personnel and random strangers. My short, appreciative interchanges start with “Hi!—(pause)—You having a good day?” This approach might be enjoyable for you, too. Here’s how it has worked for me…. Some response sequences “If “YES!”, I continue with “What’s been goodMORE...
Remember “Well done, thou good and faithful servant….” (Matthew 25:21)? These words may have comforted us when we’ve wondered if our lifework was worthy of God’s commendation. The usual interpretation of *The Parable of the Talents (or the Three Servants) revolves around reassurances that good deeds or high integrity eventually meet with God’s approval. (Although comforting, this blessing alsoMORE...
There’s more to Norbert/you/me than our lamenting. We’re also hopeful folks, whose insistent searching also keeps us positive. Today a postscript that might move us beyond mourning about the future. Those of us who are older may find our insights, our work or ourselves sidelined or shelved. Giving in to mournful outlooks doesn’t help much at all, so many of us have figured out ways to keepMORE...
A *recent article in The Atlantic caught my attention. Its title, “We’re Already Living in the Metaverse,” is striking. The subtitles are even stronger: “Reality is blurred. Boredom is intolerable. And everything is entertainment.” Some reactions….. What Atlantic staff writer Megan Garber observes about our society—about each of us?—is that we may be so thoroughly immersed in a culture ofMORE...
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.