American culture promotes the fountain of youth like it is the answer to all things that are important. Wrinkles and grey hair are shunned and excommunicated by serums and hair color boxes. Very few people actually "see the beauty in growing old" like India. Arie said. Every day that we turn on the television, there seems to be more and more people that did not get a chance to see those wrinkles in the mirror or decide that the grey strands could stay a little while longer. This fact makes our lives precious, and those issues that we viewed as being rivers become ponds.
Yesterday during Senior Day, we received the honor of showing our appreciation to the seniors in our congregation. At the end of the service, one young woman stood up from the crowd of seniors and revealed that she was 71 years old. I was shocked because she looked like she was in her 40's. Her presence confirmed a lesson that God had been trying to teach me lately. I had been stressed out about an issue, and I was letting it get the best of me. But, I realized that I wanted to live to be a senior; I wanted to be blessed with longevity. In order to mature in my relationship with the Lord and in life, I had to go through some hard tests. But, I had the choice of adapting with the help of the Lord or giving up with my situation. I realized that I could not "die in my situation" as my pastor would say. '
The miracle woman continued to talk about some of the tests and trials that she had been through. The list included her surviving being hit by a car and car accident. They also included her being shot and stabbed. While the woman described examples of the situations that herself and the women went through, I knew that they had been through more than I went through. But, by the grace of God they were still standing there, and I hope to be standing in that same place one day celebrating my senior years :-) God willing, I will.
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