When even God says you’re old

Today I’m celebrating … um … I am observing a significant birthday.

Getting old humbles a woman.

The other day I looked over my body, wondering if I could find one square inch without wrinkles. I found a place—depending on how I hold my arm—but I tell ya, it’s not easy to show off the underside of my forearm in public.

As if that’s not humbling enough, even God seems to be reminding me I’m old.

While thumbing through my Bible I ran across this—highlighted! Who highlighted it?!? Not me!—so I took it as a sign to apply the verse personally:

In Joshua 13, God looked at Joshua and said, “You are getting very old.”

Sheesh! I suppose He’s looking at me today and thinking the same thing.

I’ve wanted to hear Him say many things, but never that. Never, “Linda, you are getting very old.”

Joshua must have squirmed at what God said next: He pointed out Joshua still had big tasks to carry out before it was too late—duties only Joshua could complete.

God listed specifics and then said, “You’ve gotta do this, Joshua, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

That got me to thinking. And squirming. He has tasks for me to accomplish while I’m still walking on this earth, things He wants me to pass on to my kids, grandkids, and great-grands. 

It’s like He is saying, “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

I can’t know how many days or weeks or years I will have to prepare and complete that legacy so I’ve been asking myself,

• What should be my priorities?
• What am I doing with the time I have left? Am I wasting it with pursuits that have little or no significance? What activities do I need to set aside so I can spend my time wisely?
• What legacy do I need to be working on?

One of my priorities is carrying out Deuteronomy 4:9, “Always remember what you’ve seen God do for you and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!”

I want to tell our stories—not because our family is special but because God is special. 

It’s not about us. It’s all about God. I want my stories to celebrate Him.

Perhaps you, too, suspect it’s time to rearrange your priorities. What legacy should you be preparing before it's too late?

Since inheritances come in assorted forms and shapes and sizes, which are the most important to pass on to your kids, grandkids, and great-grands?

Do you hear God’s voice today? In one way or another, He’s whispering in your ear, “You’ve gotta do this, (fill in your name), as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Focus on finishing well and leaving God-and-you stories for your kids, grandkids, and great-grands—not because you’re so special, but because God is so special.

He can use your stories to bless, 

teach, entertain, challenge, 

and shape those who come after you—for His glory.

Revised from original post published June 27, 2012

At SM 101, change is in the air: “You’ve gotta do this. Do it. Do it now.”

I missed posting on Saturday.

Instead of blogging, I was flying home from southern California after a visit with my three grandsons—and their parents, too, of course: daughter Karen and her hubby, Brian.

Missing my regular Saturday blog post bothered me but, at the same time, it felt OK.

It felt OK because it symbolized a change I’ve felt coming on. I’ve been feeling it in my heart, my mind, my spirit.

Missing that blog post prompted a change I knew was inevitable.

I hinted at that change on my birthday in June when I pondered God’s words to Joshua: “You are getting very old” (Joshua 13) and He pointed out Joshua still had big tasks to carry out before it was too late—duties only Joshua could complete.

God listed specifics and then said, “You’ve gotta do this, Joshua, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Since then I’ve been thinking. And squirming. God has tasks for me to accomplish while I’m still walking this earth, things He wants me to leave for my family.

For the past couple of years, my oldest grandson, Chase, has been asking me to write a book for him, another book of family stories.

I have a few vignettes snapped into a three-ring binder for him and the other grandkids, but I need to write so many more!

Doing so has been on my mind a lot since June, and—you guessed it—again last week Chase asked if I was writing our family’s stories. I knew the time had come, as if God again nudged me: “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

I can’t know how many days or weeks or years I have in which to prepare and complete that legacy, so I’ve been asking myself, What should be my priorities? What am I doing with the time I have left? What activities must I set aside—or cut back on—so I can spend my time wisely? What legacy do I need to be working on?

If you’ve followed SM 101 for even a short while, you know one of my priorities is carrying out Deuteronomy 4:9, “Always remember what you’ve seen God do for you and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!”

Soooo ~~ here’s what’s changing at Spiritual Memoirs 101: Beginning next week, I will post only once a week, on Thursdays, so I can dedicate more time to writing for my grandkids.

I want to tell our family’s stories—not because our family is special but because God is special.

It’s not about us. It’s all about God.

See you next Thursday, September 19!

Continuity gives us roots;

change gives us branches,

letting us stretch and grow

and reach new heights.

Pauline R. Kezer

When even God says you’re old

Today I am celebrating a … um … I am observing a significant birthday.

Getting old humbles a woman.

The other day I looked over my body, wondering if I could find one square inch without wrinkles. I found a place—depending on how I hold my arm—but I tell ya, it’s not easy to show off the underside of my forearm in public.

As if that’s not humbling enough, even God seems to be reminding me I’m old.

While thumbing through my Bible I ran across this—highlighted! Who highlighted it?!? Not me!—so I took it as a sign to apply it personally:

In Joshua 13, God looked at Joshua and said, “You are getting very old.”

Sheesh! I suppose He’s looking at me today and saying the same thing.

I’ve wanted to hear God say many things, but never that. Never, “Linda, you are getting very old.”

Joshua must have squirmed at what God said next: He pointed out Joshua still had big tasks to carry out before it was too late—duties only Joshua could complete.

God listed specifics and then said, “You’ve gotta do this, Joshua, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Well, that got me to thinking. And squirming. God has tasks for me to accomplish while I’m still walking this earth, things He wants me to leave for my family.

It’s like God is saying, “You’ve gotta do this, Linda, as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

I can’t know how many days or weeks or years I have in which to prepare and complete that legacy, so I’ve been asking myself, What should be my priorities? What am I doing with the time I have left? Am I wasting it with pursuits that have little or no significance? What activities do I need to set aside so I can spend my time wisely? What legacy do I need to be working on?

One of my priorities is carrying out Deuteronomy 4:9, “Always remember what you’ve seen God do for you and be sure to tell your children and grandchildren!”

I want to tell our family’s stories—not because our family is special but because God is special.

It’s not about us. It’s all about God.

I want my stories to celebrate Him. 

Perhaps you, too, suspect it’s time to rearrange your priorities. What legacy should you be preparing?

Since inheritances come in assorted forms and shapes and sizes, which inheritances are the most important to leave your kids and grandkids?

Do you hear God’s voice today? In one way or another, He’s whispering in your ear, “You’ve gotta do this, (fill in your name), as an inheritance. Leave this legacy for your tribes—your family. Do it. Do it now.”

Focus on finishing well and leaving God-and-you stories for your kids and grandkids. God can use them to bless, teach, entertain, challenge, and shape those who come after you—for His glory. 

How do you keep on task?

.

I’ve lost count of how often Pastor Sid has urged us to leave a spiritual legacy for our children and grandchildren.

His messages make me want to holler from my back-row seat, “Amen! Everybody needs to write a memoir!”

Last Sunday, Pastor Sid reminded us of Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

“… Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”

In other words,

God gives parents a responsibility:

to teach children,

to encourage them,

to inspire them—

constantly,

 thoroughly,

conscientiously,

night and day—

to love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength.

God gives grandparents such roles, too—see Deuteronomy 4:9, Deuteronomy 6:1-2, Exodus 10:1, and Proverbs 13:22.

In Psalm 127:4, Solomon said children are “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior.”

Pastor Sid challenged us: “Put feathers on those arrows!” That takes time.

It also takes time to sharpen arrows, and it takes skill to aim them so they hit the target.

When built well and aimed correctly, arrows fly straight.

You and I have a responsibility to invest in “arrow-making”—to equip and nurture our children and grandchildren so they fly straight and arrive at the right place.

One way is by talking with kids and grandkids—telling them your God-stories, “wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night” (Deuteronomy 6:7, The Message). In doing that, you’ll leave a spiritual legacy for your children and grandchildren.

But let’s be realistic: Of the stories your parents and grandparents told you, how many do you remember?

I have forgotten 95% of my family’s stories. How about you?

You know where I’m going with this:

Another way to “make arrows” is by writing what you’ve seen God do in and for you and your family—writing it and placing it in the hands of your kids and grandkids.

Preserving your God-stories in writing means even generations not yet born can read your book long after you’re gone.

In doing so, you’ll leave a spiritual legacy for your children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren—who knows how many generations?

When building strong kids and grandkids, or anything else important, often obstacles pull us off track.

In writing your spiritual memoir—as a ministry, not a hobby—what obstacles lure you away? Lots of things could entice you to say, "I don't have time to write today. Maybe tomorrow."

And before you know it, you're turning the calendar page to a new month.


Sound familiar?


Pastor Sid reminded us that sometimes we must refocus or reprioritize the way we spend our time.


Think about it. Pray for wisdom to refocus or reprioritize your time so you can keep on task.

Do you have helpful tips for scheduling your time?

Keeping focused?

Staying on task?

Remaining enthusiastic about writing your stories?

Please share them! Let’s help each other leave spiritual legacies for future generations!

Leave a comment below or on Facebook, or e-mail me at GrandmaLetters [at] aol [dot] com. (Replace [at] with @ and replace [dot] with a period, and scrunch everything together with no spaces.)

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