Living 99 years… imagine that. This journal entry is inspired by the 99th birthday of our aunt Martha. The more time passes, the more I hear of her life, the more I see the inestimable potential value of a life. She’s lived through so many seasons, so many early tragic hardships, trials, losses, disappointments. Those seasons blended into elegance, grandeur, and luxury in her life. And as some of those things slipped away, faded or diminished, she’s carried on more alone, quiet, living in memories of days gone by. She’s one of the strongest women I’ve known. She’s a long, long way down the track of life.
A long, amazing life… beginning her 100th year today.
I didn’t realize, a couple of days ago when I blogged about beginning again that I’d be all caught up thinking about all these things today. I wasn’t necessarily thinking about living long or making plans to live long. It was just on my mind to determine to live well. To finish well. And, in order to do that, I needed to consciously determine to set my face to the Son and take those determined steps. So Unless you know me, it might seem strange that a daily devotional and a diet plan were the two driving forces of my thoughts as I wrote that journal entry determining to finish well.
But now… really, what if I live long? What if I’m to live 99 years? Truth be told, I never ever expected to live as long a I have, let alone 99 years! And, truthfully, I’ve sure not lived like I was planning to live 99 years. Do you think about longevity in your life? Do you imagine living 99 years??
Many years ago, my precious old friend, Florence, told me that whatever you want to be doing at 80, you’d better be (or begin to be) doing at 40. She’s the one who jokingly (but not joking at all) said, if you want teeth to floss at 80, you’d better be flossing them well at 40.
Mulling over these thoughts today gives me great pause to continue this sort of “self inventory” kind of introspection (I’m not planning to stay camped on this subject, btw, it’s just imperative to me to get regrounded after drifting a little off course).
What am I doing here? Is it obvious that my life is to bring God glory and ‘enjoy Him forever’? Is that my chief aim? Is that what I demonstrate as my duty? So in my determination to walk with the Lord, in the light of His Word, and finish well, I’m thinking long on how today’s decisions and actions might read in 40 years.
Interesting. Today’s question 10/27 in the Q&A a day For Moms – five year journal:
“I wish I could give my child: ______________”
I want to give them: a mama who walked with God (99 years).
I don’t want this to be a “wished I’d done.”
My thoughts exactly! I, too, want to finish well. Thank you for expressing what’s in your heart.