Aging is inevitable. We start getting older the minute we are born. Of course, as children we keep growing and learning. But as adults, we have a choice to continue to grow, or just get old.
Too many of us decide once school is over, there is nothing to learn. We live on knowledge that is stale and affected by time. Life gives us some bumps and bruises along the way. We learn to fear some things and become bitter about other things.
It is our choice. Are you getting better or worse? We can continue to learn and grow. The body may be giving us issues, but our minds are always ready to learn. Our spirits can soar above the tragedies and disappointments of this world. We can decide to become better instead of bitter.
Each day, we have a choice to grow. There are several things we can do today to make that happen.
Read a book
Keep a journal
It can be written, or drawn
It can contain scraps of paper notes or photos like a scrapbook
If nothing else, write down what you are thankful for
Take up a new hobby
Consider other opinions
Laugh! Yes, find something to laugh about in good humor
We can have a growth mindset. Every one of us is getting older. But none of us have to just get old!
A heart of gratitude is the password to so many good things. It takes us from entitlement to contentment. It changes “why me?” to “why not me?” It turns the focus from what we do not have to what we do have.
On this Sunday morning, I am reminded this is the best way to approach prayer and worship. The Message version of Psalm 100 helped me see this in a new light this day.
Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.
“Thank you” is the password to so many good things. My coworkers probably think I say it too often. My emails and speech are filled with please and thank you. But I am fine with being known as the guy who is too polite. It’s much better than being known as the guy with the rude ‘tude!
Therefore, when we go to prayer with a thankful heart, it makes us reconsider how much I have already been blessed. Just the fact we woke up to a new day is reason enough for gratitude. It helps us reconsider the many things we take for granted.
Nobody likes to see someone coming every time with a list of grievances, least of all God. It’s true that we can be honest and take our requests, our problem, and yes, our tragedies to him. But if that is the only time we pray, that would get pretty old.
Thanksgiving is coming. Let’s remember to give thanks today and every day. It’s a password to greater things. It’s a reminder we already have so many great things right under our noses.
One aspect I liked about writing this article is how it upends stereotypes. I would not have expected a need for an Asian Indian church in Texas, but apparently, there is quite a need. The church had a great launch and appears to be going strong.
We make assumptions all the time because it’s easier to come to a conclusion than do the homework. Stereotypes are one way we do that. Another way to do this is by categorizing people and things. But what if something doesn’t fit into our category? What if something is in a category you know nothing about?
For instance, how many languages are spoken in India? Before I wrote the article, I would have assumed most Indian people speak Hindi. But while that’s the official language, there are up to 447 languages spoken on the Indian Subcontinent. The congregation in my article speaks Malayalam. I had no idea this language existed. It can be foolish to jump to conclusions right away about categories!
I love having the privilege to write an article where a learn a few things. Hopefully, I do the same for readers. There is so much knowledge in the world to uncover. I’ve learned over the years it’s wise to admit you don’t have all the knowledge in the world. No matter how knowledgeable a person is, they can’t even come close to knowing it all!
Fifty-five years ago, it was a balmy Palm Sunday in Indiana. My mother was five months pregnant with me. It was evening and even though it was stormy, they were getting ready to go to church.
My grandparents lived about five miles southwest of my parents. My Uncle Preston was with them. As they were chatting, they suddenly felt things go deathly quiet. Uncle Preston rushed out to the mailbox. To the northwest, he saw the tornado. He ran back in and told everyone to get in the coal bin. He rushed to the phone to call my dad.
Double Tornado at Midway Trailer Park, between Elkhart and Goshen, Indiana-April 11, 1965: Paul Huffman for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration / Public domain
My parents had lived in their house for less than a year. My uncle says he had no idea what their phone number was and couldn’t recite it afterward. But by the grace of God, he remembered it and called Dad.
My parents were at the front door when the phone rang. Dad hesitated for a moment but decided to answer it anyway. After all, this was a time before voicemail and mobile phones. If you missed a call, you had no idea who was trying to reach you.
Dad answered the phone and Uncle Preston told them to take cover. Mom and Dad got into a closet. As they waited and prayed, they could hear the tornado approaching like a mighty freight train.
When it was over, they emerged from the house. There was devastation all around them. A neighboring house was gone.
Today, the tornado they were spared from would be considered an EF-4. That one tornado killed twenty-eight people and injured over 100. It was one of the forty-seven tornadoes that killed 267 people in six states on that Palm Sunday.
Death out of Darkness: 1965 Palm Sunday Tornadoes-Video from the Indiana State Police
My parents lived to see another day. And four months later, I was born. I am thankful for the quick reaction of my uncle, for my parents’ wise choices and their faith as well as the grace God gave that day to my family. Three generations of the Spear family could have been snuffed out that day. I am grateful to be alive today.
This day reminds me it was less than a year ago when the community I now live experienced the Memorial Day Tornadoes. It was a series of tornadoes that affected Indiana as well as Ohio. This time, it was my wife and taking cover when an EF-4 tornado passed south of us. It was a miracle no one was killed in this series of tornadoes. Once again, it is another reason I am grateful to be alive today.
As we remain hunkered down in our houses during a stay-at-home order, I am reminded how precious and fragile life can be. It may get aggravating being in our homes. But we have faced crises before. We can expect COVID-19 to not be our last crisis. I am just thankful for the life I have gotten to live and for one more day to live.
This morning, my bride speaks before our church. It’s her last day as a children’s pastor and first day as a speaker. It has been amazing to see her growth in the last couple of years.
It will be most interesting seeing her on the stage as she closes her time at Salem Church of God. It has been the most amazing place for us. The people have been fantastic. Paula has had great support. As she will say in her sermon, her departure doesn’t make much sense except that she is making a step by faith.
I have seen amazing growth in her since she began in children’s ministry seventeen years ago. As recent as last year, she would not have thought of speaking to the entire congregation. Yet, I have seen natural talent in her and a passion to speak and get her message out. We believe her next step involves speaking into women’s lives. It’s been a thrill to witness her transformation in the last year.
For a few weeks, I’ve been talking about change, and worry. Here is the culmination of it. We don’t know what her next step is. We do know that change is coming and starts today.
I’ve tried to behave myself the last couple of weeks so I did not become subject of a sermon illustration. We’ll see how that goes this morning! My tendency to worry and be snarky probably did not help me with this goal.
I am quite proud of my wife. She is walking and speaking by faith this morning. You can bet there will be a sketch note on her sermon. Ready or not, here we go!
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