Comments on: Aging Grace-fully

By: H. Robert Rubin

H. Robert Rubin — Mon, 25 Mar 2019 13:52:05 +0000

What a lovely piece.

I have been a Messianic Jew for 34 years. I have reached anectdotage at 73.5. My mom had a first love to whom she was “engaged” and with whom she had a joint checking account. It never went any further and she married my quite difficult father on their 4th date. She loved him. But, it was turmoil.

I remember Mom out of the blue commenting on the beauty of a flower bed in her old age. My dad had died and she helped me to learn how to grow old grace-fully in her widowhood. She was a gentle, sweet woman who constantly expressed her love to her children and grandchildren through small acts of kindness and looks that could melt the most distant heart. May God rest her precious, compassionate soul.

By: Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 03:36:36 +0000

In reply to Jean Joyce.

This is a lovely note, and I thank you for writing it. You have been through a lot, but you have emerged strong and faithful, and now you are giving away grace and encouragement to others–including me. –Philip

By: Gayle Park

Gayle Park — Mon, 04 Feb 2019 14:24:43 +0000

What a beautiful tribute to your Grandmother! My Grandma was born the same year and was a southern lady from Roanoke,Virginia. She and her husband relocated to Ohio for a job for my grandfather, who I never met since he died at age sixty.She had ten children, twenty six grandchildren. Somehow she made each of us feel special.

By: Nancy Reiterman

Nancy Reiterman — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 22:05:58 +0000

Mr. Yancey,
It’s good to hear your perspective.
I try to imagine what it should be like to ‘grow old gracefully”. Especially because I can still hear my mother say, “I’ll be damned if I will grow old gracefully. I’m going to fight it the whole way”. And she did. It wasn’t pretty.
So now, just a few days after my 63rd birthday as my body begins to remind me daily of my opportunities to be grace-filled I pray through the daily release of self and the filling of the Spirit searching for a right heart attitude and the strength to submit rather than fight.
With so many of us growing old, there are lots of opportunities for grace. I am on a search to find wisdom and empathy on this subject. It’s hard when most of the people around are so much younger. I’m looking forward to reading more from you on the subject.

By: Ann O'Malley

Ann O'Malley — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 15:08:57 +0000

I try to remember to thank God regularly for the human examples He’s given us, like your Grandma Carrie. I would be so lost without them. The best part is that they weren’t perfect, but were growing in His grace. Their stories give me the comfort of knowing that I don’t have to be perfect and that by God’s grace I can keep growing.

One challenge that I’m facing as I age is having the faith to trust God with my finances. Somehow that seems like the kind of issue better suited to the young, who have more options and opportunities available to them, and therefore more hope. (I’ll probably be blogging about this in the future.)

As a baby Christian in my teens I loved the stories of people who trusted God day by day for their most basic needs. I longed to have that kind of faith.

But now, in my sixties, financial uncertainty is scarier and sometimes feels like failure. It’s scary because I don’t have as many options for earning money as young people do. And it feels like failure because of the Bible’s teaching about personal responsibility and following God’s will. If I was a really good Christian, wouldn’t I be better prepared for potential financial difficulties? Or did I fail to discern God’s will at some point?

But God continues to grow me, and I know He’ll see me through somehow. At my worst, I struggle with my doubts. At my best, I look forward to seeing how He’ll provide for me in the coming months and years.

By: Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 05:30:34 +0000

In reply to Jean Joyce.

We’ll check into this to see what might have happened. I know that’s frustrating, because the same thing has happened to me on others’ blogs. I’m so sorry. –Philip

By: Jean Joyce

Jean Joyce — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 01:35:23 +0000

I would like to know what happened to my previous response to your blog on Aging Gracefully?? I hope it is not lost? I believe I followed all the directions. Yes, I did just say that only to be informed Capture Code was not "readable"? So I tried again, hence this second response?

By: Jean Joyce

Jean Joyce — Sun, 27 Jan 2019 01:10:12 +0000

Thank you for sharing beautiful memories of your Grandmother Carrie. Her influence in your formation as a child growing into adulthood no doubt has
helped form your sensitivities regarding relationships and life. It is precisely
this, that for me at least, shines throughout your writing. Although I did not
have such fond memories, growing up, I value the knowledge that happy
memories are possible because of reminders like those you shared in this
blog. Although my own formation into adulthood was at times very painful, I discovered certain encounters with some extraordinary people interspersed throughout my early years into the present 81 yrs, served as manna in the desert!
Having read your books over the years, I have come to believe you are such a person.
I believe it was Helen Keller who described such encounters as “red letter days”.
I am extremely grateful to our Creator for blessing me with the ability to recognize
this ‘light in the darkness’ so to speak. God taught me from childhood to see His light and love appearing during the worst days of my life as well as in the best days of my life! Although there are times when I was bewildered, uncertain, even afraid and there are experiences I certainly do not want to do over again, I would not exchange my life’s experience for anything in the world because of the profound blessings it
brought into my life! Although my body reminds me that I am certainly 81 years old,
my mind and spirit affirms the incredible TRUTH that GOD IS LOVE, GOD IS ALIVE, and GOD IS ETERNAL. Thank you for sharing your journey with the rest of your
“family” out here!

By: Sharon Struve

Sharon Struve — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 17:53:30 +0000

I am finding that aging is not for the weak person at all. It takes all my strength to hang on to God’s hand as he leads me through pain and loss of things like walking erect and doing all the things I did before like walk two miles every day, etc., etc. God has blessed me with a voice that can still quite well so I can use that talent to give Him glory and honor that is due His holy name. What a gift He has given us in His Son!!!!!!!

By: DENISE GOMES-DIAS

DENISE GOMES-DIAS — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 15:47:11 +0000

Dear Philip, who could fully predict the potential of a seed thrown by Grace-gifted hands? So far away from the scenarios you pictured, I’m so blessed by reading the tribute to your Grandmother. I send my love and gratitude to you and your family. Greetings from Brazil!