From the Pastor’s Heart

The other day Thomas, our custodian, came into the office with a song in his heart and his step just a bit lighter as he joyfully announced that he was carded the night before when purchasing an adult beverage. Without thinking, I jumped out of my chair and exclaimed, what is up with that? All I ever hear is, “Would you like the senior citizen discount?” I have been asked this question for a few years now. I find it interesting (Nancy finds it quite delightful) when we are shopping together the clerk always looks at me and inquires if I might be interested in the senior discount, never…ever….not even once have they asked Nancy.

At last I have reached that magical age when I am entitled to a senior discount. I can now order from the senior menu at restaurants, I can take advantage of AARP discounts (I have been a member of that elite group for a few years now.), I now have to watch for those special days when seniors are offered an additional discount. I am even eligible to live in senior apartment complexes. WOW! There are some perks to “maturing.”

Someone sent me the following with the note: “You are ‘OLD’ if you remember…”

• Headlight dimmer switches on the car floor
• Wax coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
• Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles (I personally enjoyed the chocolate pop.)
• Blackjack chewing gum
• Coffee shops with tableside juke boxes
• Wash tub ringers
• Newsreels before the movie
• Telephone numbers with the word prefix
• Mimeograph paper

Good grief I must be old because I can remember all of those and in addition I can remember when we had an outhouse. Not a pleasant memory. But if I were a betting man I would wager we had the cleanest outhouse in Hillsville.

Now, I understand age is relative. In the eyes of some I am yet a youngster. But when you realize you have more years behind you then you have ahead of you it gives you cause to pause and reflect.

Melanie told me about a Country and Western song she heard on the radio. I searched for it on the Internet. The song involves a dad and his daughter and she grows and gets married but in the end realizes that no one will love her as much as her dad. It is a very touching song. Here are the lyrics….

Wind blowing on my face
Sidewalk flying beneath my bike
A five year olds first taste
Of what freedoms really like
He was running right beside me
His hand holding on the seat
I took a deep breath and hollered
As I headed for the street

“You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I’m ready to do this on my own
It’s still a little scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be okay now daddy
You can let go”

I was standing at the altar
Between the two loves of my life
To one I’ve been a daughter
To one I soon would be a wife
When the preacher asked
“Who gives this woman?”
Daddy’s eyes filled up with tears
He kept holding tightly to my arm
‘Til I whispered in his ear:

“You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Oh I think I’m ready to do this on my own
It still feels a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be okay now daddy
You can let go”

It was killing me
To see the strongest man I ever knew
Wasting away to nothing in that hospital room
“You know he’s only hanging on for you”
That’s what the night nurse said
My voice and heart were breaking
As I crawled up in his bed and said:

“You can let go now daddy
You can let go
Your little girl is ready to do this on my own
Its gonna be a little bit scary
But I want you to know
I’ll be okay now daddy
You can let go
You can let go”

Now that my eyes have cleared of tears I can type again. Having three wonderful daughters I can relate to this song. I have lived more than half of that song and I know there will come a day when I will complete it. But I am certainly not ready to let go yet.

As I pause and reflect I am reminded again and again of the one Jesus called “Abba” which means daddy. We have a God who intimately loves us as our heavenly “Daddy”. And in the end we will realize no one will ever love us any more than our Abba…our heavenly daddy. As we enter the liturgical season of lent and journey to the cross we experience again just how much God loves each and every one of us.

I am also reminded that we often make the MISTAKE of telling our Heavenly Father to let go. We somehow convince ourselves that we can do it on our own. The good news is God will never let us go. He will never leave us orphaned. He is by our side each and every step of the way. And when it does come time to make that transition God will usher us to our true home.

Life is a precious gift. And none of us knows when life here on earth will end. A wise woman once said, “Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves. None of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is God’s way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day.”

Thanks be to God for the gift and blessing of today!

Blessings,

Your Senior Citizen Pastor,

Pastor Russel