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The Grace of Growing Older!

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by righteousdude2, Oct 2, 2012.

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  1. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    The other morning, as I stepped in front of the bathroom mirror to comb my hair, I was taken back at the sight of an image of a wrinkled old man staring back at my youthful thinking ego.

    In fact, what I observed scared me, because the man in the mirror didn't come close to representing what I like to think of myself looking like. The fact that the wrinkles around my eyes were unable to be counted on the fingers of both hands was disconcerting and to see a huge flap of hanging skin coming off my neck would for sure have made a mature rooster die of envy.

    The fact that the image of the person looking back at me, was in fact, the real me, staring back from the other side of the mirror. And as scary and shocking as it was, there was no way I could rationalize it as some kind of practical joke by my fun-loving wife. My first instinct was to flex my biceps, and that resulted in my seeing wrinkled arms and drooping chest muscles with graying hair. My next instinct was to call out to my wife and ask if there were someone else on the other side of the mirror. However, embarrassment stopped me dead in my tracks!

    At first, I honestly didn't recognize the person that confronted me that morning, or at least; my ego centered self didn't want to admit that what my eyes had come upon certainly couldn't have been the more youthful person lingering within me when I have clothes on.

    I guess if any of us needs a "wake-up call" in life; we need to step in front of the mirror once in the while, undressed. The wrinkles, flabby, drooping skin, and changes in the color and hair as well as the numbers of roots remaining in the scalp are more than enough things to shake up your inner ego and give you a renewed picture of the changes that time has deposited in your bank of looks.

    It didn't take all that long for me to realize that the image staring me square on was, in fact, the real me, and not some facsimile of the future me. What I see with my clothes on is certainly different than that half nude view I witnessed the other day, but I'm thankful for the wake-up call, because now I know that while my mind may convince me that I'm still a young buck, the truth hurts, as the mirror reflection of Paul Zimmer's true image showed that age had taken its toll.

    Of course, I'm not going to let that scary image of an aging, old man slow me down or take away from me my youthful personality and sense of humor, or even my colorful outlook on life. It just served as a reminder that I have less time remaining on this planet that I did, say twenty years earlier.

    We all grow old. It is something we can't stop. Plastic surgery is a costly way to feed an ever aging ego in an attempt to fool your mirror image and those who see your youthful, surgically reconstructed facial features. However, in truth, nothing can slow down or stop the fact that this physical body is dying, and for us to reach the place in life where we can finally go home and get our never aging, new body, we must watch [sometimes in horror and dismay] the life-changing cycles of growing older. Selah!

    So, today, at 66 years young, I begin another chapter in growing older. I only hope that I can continue to do it with humor, grace, and dignity. That is my prayer, and for the changes and the good health. He has given me over the passing years, I say, "Thank you Father!" :type:
     
    #1 righteousdude2, Oct 2, 2012
  2. Iconoclast

    Iconoclast Well-Known Member
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    Dude,

    Good Post...we are all going down the same path!

    I look here:
    God loves His elect from everlasting.
     
    #2 Iconoclast, Oct 2, 2012
  3. Gina B

    Gina B Active Member

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    It's odd sometimes to look in that mirror!

    If it makes you feel better, many women are jealous that men have a tendency to still look awesome as they age! Perhaps we women are more prideful. We see a mature man and tend to think of him as likely to be settled, able to provide support, more learned than the younger guys, and that is pretty attractive!

    For ourselves, it is a different story. It's not often that you see a man leaving his wife for an older woman, so we do have some concerns creep in about our looks. I go to the store or any place to purchase stuff and as a younger woman, a simple smile to the salesman would get me pretty much any discount I wanted. I'm still relatively young, but I'm old enough and have changed enough that my ego ended up taking a major hit when I realized that my looks no longer get me anything but a few disparaging comments on occasion from students who get mad at me. LOL

    But...it's also a wonderful thing in that my husband sees ME and accepts me as beautiful.

    Losing looks has taken some of the focus I had on me and allowed me to focus that on the things that matter a lot more than looks, now that I don't have the distraction of anyone finding me very attractive and am secure in the love of my husband, so it no longer has the sting it once held.

    Most important, I know how my heavenly Father views me. He doesn't base His love and care for me on my physical appearance. He knew what I would end up looking like physically and still made the ultimate sacrifice. While that doesn't mean I shouldn't take better care of myself and do my best to stay healthy, it's wonderful to know that type of love and realize it was, is, and will always be secure.

    So yeppers. I'll take what I look like now over what I looked like before and always try to remember that the reflection in the mirror is simply a reminder of where I came from.

    Wait. That's dust.

    I hate dust and am allergic to it.

    Okay, bad ending.

    Bwah ha ha ha!

    (real ending will be in the presence of The King and in perfect form...so in essence, the older we physically get, the younger we get until we're finally so young we don't have a body and we get to see our Father for the first time, but spiritually, like being a newborn and seeing our earthly father, so hrm. I like that ending...errr, beginning! *grin* )
     
    #3 Gina B, Oct 2, 2012
  4. righteousdude2

    righteousdude2 Well-Known Member
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    One Young Lady [Whom I Led to Jesus], writes...

    ..."The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness." Proverbs 16:31 "Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." 2 Corinthians 4:16.

    Of course, she is not that young either, but her thoughts on aging hit the mark!

    We are all in the same life...and the path we walk down leads us closer each day to the narrow gate. Stick to that path, and your rewards will be many and great. :thumbs:

    And a note to Gina: I too am allergic to dust, one of the reasons I'm hesitant to be cremated. :smilewinkgrin:
     
    #4 righteousdude2, Oct 2, 2012
  5. Oldtimer

    Oldtimer New Member

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    I don't want to look into a mirror yet. Didn't even turn on the light when I made that must do first trip to the bathroom this morning.

    Got up this morning with a new grumble. What's wrong with my hip today? Why is it letting me know it's there instead of being quiet like the other one? Just something else to add to the long list of it ain't what it used to be. Will something OTC subdue it enough to make it OK through the long day yet to unfold? Even if it's not OK, there's nothing wrong with hobbling to Bible study this morn and eve. Thank our Lord, I can still hobble.

    And, thank each of you. What an uplifting thread to start the day! Especially on a day, when I sure need one. To be reminded, again, that all this is temporary. That the OTC stuff is temporary. Today is one more step closer to the Permanent Cure to fix all that ails us. The sun is just coming up. Wonder if this will be THE day. If not, it's still one day closer towards the one He'll call me home.

    Wonder if I can find the Tylenol bottle without turning on the light over the mirror? Naugh... might was well go ahead as I gotta look into that mirror soon. I'm whom my Father made me and accepted me... just as I am.

    :godisgood:
     
    #5 Oldtimer, Oct 3, 2012
  6. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Do y'all know the song, "I just don't look good naked anymore"? The aerobics teacher plays it sometime during the aerobics class at the senior center.
     
    #6 Crabtownboy, Oct 3, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 3, 2012
  7. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    But the most important question:

    Will there be mirrors in Heaven? :laugh:
     
    #7 Salty, Oct 3, 2012
  8. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Yes, because we all will be in the prime of our lives, physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. It will be wonderful.
     
    #8 Crabtownboy, Oct 3, 2012
  9. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    Ah, but the upside of growing old is that you can tell people what you really think; and if they call you an old coot, you can tell them to stuff it. :D
     
    #9 Arbo, Oct 3, 2012
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