I just LOVE Christmas! I love the music, the great spirit of giving that surrounds it, and the joy of seeing loved ones and friends enjoying themselves in the days of a “break” from the daily grind of life! I recently read the story of a young mother, who, after reading the Christmas story to her young son, saw a puzzled look on his face as he sorted it all out.  After much thought, the boy said with a grin, “Let me see if I’ve got this straight…Christmas is Jesus’ birthday, but I get the presents?… Wow, is this a great religion or what?!”

Well, it’s obvious as we look around that not everyone really understands, or believes, what Christmas is all about…They may not even know the “ABC’s” of Christmas!  It’s good for all of us to see through the tinsel and fantasy to the truth of the great story of Bethlehem. Read more…

It is hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us once again!  What a time of great memories and wonderful times of fellowship and rest with those we love…As Christians, our celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas cause us to look up – to remember the Source of our blessings and the Savior Who came to be our sacrifice for sin…

The art of giving thanks is one thing that separates man from the animals, or at least it should. Ray Stedman, in his book Folk Songs of Faith, relates an experience of Dr. Harry Ironside in a crowded restaurant.  The story goes that just as Dr. Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked to join him.  Ironside invited him to have a seat.  Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer.  When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?”  Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.”  The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat.  I just start right in!”  Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog.  That’s what he does too!” Read more…

We senior type people should never be without the idea of making each day as productive and influential as possible.  In the past three articles we have considered eight goals we need to work towards to help us make the most of our life stage, and there are two final ones I would like to call to our attention in this series. These last two are essentials for us if we are ever to achieve success in the previous eight we have considered. Read more…

Having arrived at “senior status” myself I am always looking for pointers on how to successfully navigate life within this life stage.  In the previous two articles I relayed some tips for seniors gleaned from publications I access in my personal reading.  Before we move on to part 3, here’s a review of points from parts 1 and 2.  We should make it our goal to (1) admit we are seniors (2.) assess our past and prepare for the future (3.) educate ourselves regarding health issues (4) accompany one another to activities and even doctor visits (5) set new priorities and commitments  (6.) account for our financial status and goals.These are all significant goals to pursue to help us stay on track in life’s walk, but there are two more I would like to propose that will keep us focused and protected from selfishness, which is a struggle for a great percentage of seniors.

(7.) Attend church and community activities. We know the necessity of church attendance (it’s a biblical command) and forsaking God’s house and fellowship with our church family, when we are physically able, will rob us of the joy of relationships with others and turn us inward, creating an attitude of self-pity.  (We must make our “world” bigger than ourselves!)  Community activities give us opportunity for recreation and open doors to share our faith with those outside our church family.

(8.) Approach others and encourage them to attend church and activities with you.  Our efforts to be an influence on others will increase our awareness of God’s enabling  us to be used as His tools for accomplishing His purposes through us.  We grow as we help others to grow!

Senior adult, how are you doing in the areas considered thus far?  Make a personal evaluation, and ask God to help you make improvements in any weak areas.

In my last article I set out to communicate some thoughts from an article I read listing “Ten Goals for Senior Adults.”  The first two (1. admit you are a senior adult and 2. assess your past and prepare for the future) are foundational to a proper perspective on this senior adult living thing.  Consider these next four goals, which have a natural connection to the first two:

3. Avail yourself of education regarding health issues.  We live in a very health conscious culture which has produced many agencies and much publicity about about nutrition, exercise, and all the things involved in wellness.  As seniors we can take advantage of free health screenings and classes to inform us, and therefore, equip us to take better care of ourselves.  “An ounce of prevention” is truly worth a “pound of cure.” Read more…