Wednesday, February 02, 2022

As Long As She's Got Grace, Who Cares About Aging?


"And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace."   --- John 1:16


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When Debra was young:


She was a gold medal gymnast (tiny school. Don't be impressed.)

She could walk for miles (flat ones, that is)

And she had a baby, one she could run behind while a toddler.

Often she spent hours painting walls

And rearranging furniture. Every month!

Frequently she walked through shopping malls (and crowds)

And spent Saturday morning hours at yard sales.

She could eat anything she yearned for and

She created and tended huge (to her) gardens.


Now? No longer can she do any of that. But is she bummed-out? Bitter? Devastated? Cranky?



No way, for Grace still lives with her!

And in Grace's Mary Poppins-like bag she's got all sorts of creative ideas, things ol' Debra still can do. Jolly things. Thoughtful things. Ministerial things. Cozy, contented, timely, carefree things.

"How do people even live without Grace?", Debra asks herself. Without this? --


’Tis Grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And Grace will lead me home.


Well, she doesn't know the answer to that question. But what's certain, she muses? For decades Grace has led her the fun way home.

And Grace still leads that way--and always will.





 "I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient."   ---Hudson Taylor


I can no longer do many things-- so now begins new adventures! 😮 Anyone else at that place?


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Oh, where I've traveled this week!


Route 66.  Wow, I'd taken other virtual trips down this road, but Justin Scarred shared (in his own crazy way) so much more history! Color me fascinated by all the:

restored auto courts and motels
museums 
diners 
neon signs 
Muffler Men
vintage cars
natural wonders
ghost towns
antique trains
movie sets
drive-in movie theaters
brick building main streets
jukeboxes
Harvey Houses,
restored gas stations
visible gas pumps
Native American art
Route 66 folks who love where they live
---and much more!


The American Dream Mall.  Amazing. You may not believe Heaven has shopping malls, but I do and most likely at least one resembles this. I could not stop watching and how kind of Action Kid to do all the walking for me!  ツ


And movie-wise--

Tom and I enjoy Jennifer Garner's family-friendly movies and this latest one, Yes Day, was a treat.


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This has a bit of a negative spin on it, but the overall message is right. If Grace hadn't nudged me pretty hard at times, I'd have missed out on what now gives me much joy remembering having done.



Oh! And happy 2/2/22 to you!



"Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."   --- 2 Corinthians 3:17



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Please remember: My posts are always about more than they appear to be. 

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 "For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

4 comments:

Sandi said...

Jolly things!

💜💜💜

"For decades Grace has led her the fun way home."

THIS is a great line.

GOD BLESS YOU.

Betsy said...

Hi Debra! Are you buried in snow up there? Gosh, this post hit a spot in my heart. There is SO MUCH that I can't do. I love my life and the things I like to do now though and many of them I feel are exactly what God planned for me. However, I do know I need more exercise. My medication prevents that. So one doctor says, if I get too hot it could kill me, literally. With this medication I now sweat just vacumming the floor in my nightgown in the wintertime. Another doctor says, I need to exercise and build up a sweat! Hah! Apparently, he wants me dead!
So I have been getting very frustrated. I'm trying to get over that and figure out how to lose some weight by NOT exercising!!!!
May Grace lead me home soon.
Blessings,
Betsy

Pam said...

Debra, you got me. This post brought tears to my eyes. First of all, can we ever be grateful enough for Grace. Probably not this side of heaven. It seems that God looks for my little (and big) weaknesses to teach me about Grace. It feels like I'm under a microscope and He's pointing out the huge flaws, but He does it in a loving way, and reassures me that He and I will work together to make me what He wants me to be.

Gosh, there are quite a few things I'm having some difficulty with. Lifting. Opening jars. Vacuuming carpet. Cleaning showers. Physical exertion (like deep cleaning the house) for more than hour at a time. Standing on a ladder. Working on my hands and knees. Other than that, I'm still doing well, lol. Actually, I'm still able to do all those things listed but at a more moderate rate than before. Grace comes along beside me and helps with the hard stuff. Love to you, Debra, and heartfelt thanks for telling us the truth!

Debra said...

Sandi-- I appreciated your comment! Thank-you for letting me know about the lines which stood out for you.

Betsy--yes! Still covered in snow. sigh. :) Praying you'll find the exact right answers and I do thank you for letting me know this post meant something to you.

Pam--as always, you and I are so on the same page and I do thank you for letting me know! My very best to you these days as both grow older with grace.

Thanks so much, Ladies! Blessings, Debra