As a child growing up in Florida, I liked all the seasons but my favorite is Autumn – my friends and I were always outside in the bug-free brisk weather which felt so cool. My brother and I played in the big wooden fort in our backyard where we would fight those pesky Indians.
Those were the days… a happy, carefree time in my life as a child. However, as time marched on the fort rotted away, we moved to a new house, mom died of cancer, then went through adolescence & worked various jobs. I became a Christian at 19 & life radically changed for the better! In Seminary I met & married Jane and soon our life together blossomed as we had children.
Now we are middle-aged, still happily married with our eldest son Dan (28) married, our middle son Matt (26) a Lt. in the US Air Force & our “baby” David (21) at FSU in his 3rd year studying Engineering. Jane & I now find ourselves praying for our mature boys in far different ways!
Most of our elderly folks comment that they never considered growing into “seasoned citizens” but there they are, facing more daunting challenges as their bodies begin to decline. Some fear the end of life while others are looking forward to Heaven. We preach that there is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to avoid; we minister making Jesus as Lord & Savior before “time runs out”.
There is an appointed time for everything. a time for every event under heaven–
A time to give birth, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build up.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; a time to keep, and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent, and a time to speak. A time to love, and a time to hate;
A time for war, and a time for peace. God has made everything appropriate in its time.
He has also set eternity in their heart…, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 )
Thanks for helping us minister the good news of the Gospel to all ages of people!