season of seniors

 We're currently in a season of seniors!

We've received perhaps the largest amount of invitations to graduation parties ever, competing only with the years our own kids graduated.

These are young people just beginning to discover what God has in store for them.  An exciting season!

I'm not only surrounded by these graduating seniors but find myself in a season where all of my parents and their relatives are in their final years.  Seniors.

My schedule is full of cleaning, driving, grocery shopping, doctor appointments and deep conversation trying to fully understand what they're experiencing.

It's difficult to watch at times - they are the same smart, attractive, talented people they've always been yet they struggle daily to embrace their current season.  They speak of past days where they traveled and loved spouses deeply and felt as if they had plenty of time to discover and experience new things.  And now they can't even drive....

They have not lost their love for the Lord, I still hear their prayers for their grandchildren, other loved ones and their church, but there is no longer anyone one inviting them to participate in problem solving or new creations.  

I long to help make this senior season significant - can I make it one of their best seasons?  A fantastic finish?  Can we refuse to just let them sit and drift away?  I don't know, but I'm interested in trying!

Please, reach out to a senior today if you have the opportunity...

a vacation day

Yesterday was a vacation day for me.

I got to spend that day with 3 or my favorite people.  3 people who have influenced, helped and served me tirelessly over the years, and 3 people I pray I have been of some blessing to as well.

My mom, my mother-in-law and my sister.

mom and mother-in-law

So what did we do with this vacation day you ask?

In Ohio when you want to get-away, you go to Amish Country!  Ha, ha!

However, vacation and laid-back, relaxing, not a care in the world...these just never seem to describe my vacations.  

Such was the case yesterday.

• We left a full hour later than planned due to a variety of unplanned stops that had to be made and various other interruptions.
• When arriving in Berlin we had no idea the whole strip was under construction making it probably the worst Ohio location we could have chosen to go to - from a Senior walking perspective.   Sidewalk removed, only gravel to walk on down one side of the main strip, and ditches that required jumping in order to gain access to the shops - all of these unforeseen details pretty much exhausted the mom's after just visiting a few shops.
• Visions of wonderful Amish food dancing in my head was quickly replaced by dining in the only accessible resturant in Berlin - the name of the resturant had the word "Pig" in it...
• 95 degrees in the sun.  When you have one Senior who struggles to walk already - this caused us to pause every few steps for resting...in the hot sun which just made us more exhausted.

All that to say - my fantasy of a glorious 'day out' took on an entirely different look then envisioned.

As is the case at least once a week, "I don't know how people face any day without the Lord", we laid our late start and frustrations aside as we saw what the Lord had intended.

We took all back-roads and the back-seat comments made every effort of ours worthwhile as my sister and I heard things like, "I haven't seen a corn crib like that since I was a child..., look at those beautiful hills..., the flowers are just magnificent...I remember when dad would come home from working all day and then we'd all head to the farm to help grandpa farm all evening".

My mom's recent loneliness, from the loss of my dad and her struggles physically,  and my mother-in-law losing her ability to drive make me look at the Senior population in a totally different way.  

I admire other countries far beyond our selfish American practices as I see them love, care and most of all RESPECT their seniors far more than we do.

In cases of medical need and to protect their safety I totally am thankful for care facilities that our amazing country has for our seniors.  But, when they're still functioning and just unable to drive or to be an active part of the community around them - my heart aches for them.  And, I hope I can be of some help in communicating to all the Seniors in my life how much they still have to offer us.

As our day came to a close in Amish country yesterday, the precious comments, the simple pleasure they took away from just 'going somewhere' will be long remembered.  

And maybe next time, I'll remember to ask if the place we are going at least has a sidewalk.

crossroads grows up

Ron and I went to wish the 55+ group, safe travels. Our first ever senior trip took off for Pittsburg early this morning from the Crossroads parking lot.

How cool that a ministry contemporary in nature attracts a huge population of 55+ adults too! We desperately need the wisdom and experience that they bring to our ministry! I remember Pastor Tim saying a long time ago that he asked a senior what attracted them to Crossroads. They replied, " we want to be where something is happening!" Every age group is fired up when people are coming to the Lord and something is happening!!

Happy trails to the Crossroads 55+ group!!