3 John 1:2
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
This
morning as I left the pool at our local Aquatic Center, I met my Mam-ma
Polly’s best friend, Ruby. She was just getting into the therapy pool
for a morning exercise class. Ruby has a number of health issues,
including diabetes and neuropathy. She is also 95 years young, still
lives in her own home, and drives her own car...even to the community
Aquatic Center on a rainy Monday morning! If Ruby misses a church
service or Sunday school, you know that she is more than a little under
the weather!
Ruby is like my Mam-ma Polly – she comes from “good
stock!” She has endured a number of challenges and heartaches in her
life, including the deaths of two husbands and her daughter. Ruby took
it hard when Mam-ma Polly had to move to the Assisted Living Facility –
and even harder when she went to heaven. Mam-ma Polly was Ruby’s
“partner in crime” in many things for a number of years! You hardly saw
one without the other, so I know she has been lonely without her
friend.
Still, Ruby is one of the most upbeat and cheerful women I
know...and she reminds me of the “Engergizer® Bunny”! Her soul is
incredibly healthy, even as her body ages and declines...and I don’t
think this is any accident. I’ve known quite a few remarkable men and
women who lived well into their 90s...and some to nearly 100. And when I
say “lived well”...I mean, they lived well! If you take a good
look at these amazing role models, you can see a common thread...they
all have/had healthy souls! Their hearts belong to Jesus...they trust
Him to meet their needs and keep them upright and moving forward...and
they eagerly and joyfully anticipate spending eternity in His presence!
There
are “Rubys” and “Pollys” in our midst...and we would do well to watch
and learn from their extraordinary examples of faith and Christian
service. Look around you and see who demonstrates a healthy soul – even
when their body may not be serving them so well. Pay attention to how
they persevere...what keeps them motivated and encouraged. Learn from
their “spiritual fitness regimen”... and incorporate their methods into
your own life.
Many of us have a role model for physical
fitness...and/or someone to whom we look for guidance in business and
personal matters. And our “health” in these areas is important to God.
But fewer of us have found a role model for a healthy “faith walk,” and
it’s time we made this a priority. There are people around us who are,
for the most part, getting it right! Ask God to reveal their
presence...then pay attention to how they serve Him! Thank God for
examples of “good stock” who trust Him for their health and well-being
in every area of their lives...and take a page from their book for your
own circumstances.
Dear friend, I am praying that all is well
with YOU this day, and that your body - AND your soul - are both very
well and healthy.
©2014 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label role models. Show all posts
Showing posts with label role models. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for August 31, 2011
Proverbs 20:29
Young people take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of wisdom are even more beautiful.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Someone paid me a compliment recently, and in thanking them, I said, “I have had some great role models.” From my grandmother and her peers, to my mother and mother-in-law and many of their friends, to dear ladies (and gentlemen) I know who attend our church and the church in which I grew up… I am surrounded by Godly influences. Many, like my grandmother, have aged to a point where the tables have turned in terms of strength. I am now more able bodied and help her with things that are no longer easily accomplished… from driving, to paying bills and balancing the checkbook, to shopping and more.
By keeping Timothy so often – and caring for my grandmother – I recognize that many of the things I do for him are things she and my mother did for me not so long ago. Now I am repaying them, somewhat, by paying it forward. And this is where you come in... it is your turn to start sharing your blessings and wisdom with others in your own path.
As you go about your day, I assure you that people are watching… from the little kid down the street who sees you in the driveway and observes your demeanor to the older folks who meet you in the grocery store or the aisle at church. They notice when you are polite… and when you are not. They see your body language and your overall appearance… they hear the language that comes out of your mouth… they determine what sort of person you are by how you conduct yourself – even in the privacy of your own yard! For those of us who are older and (supposedly) wiser, we can easily become discouraged when we see that the kindness and “sage wisdom” we impart to younger people seems to be ignored. We can get upset and feel like those we tried to nurture have failed to live up to our expectations – or even brought us major disappointment.
This is rotten thinking on our part. Our job is not to love others with any expectations or desired outcomes. That’s why it’s called unconditional love. We are to nurture others… to live as an example of the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ… and leave the outcomes to God Almighty. While I occasionally may think to myself, “What would So-and-so think if he/she saw me now?”… for the most part, I never give a second thought to the opinions of my role models. I know that they love me me no matter what. They might disapprove of my methods or actions once in awhile… and yes, a few have voiced their opinions from time to time in that regard… but mostly, they just go about the business of living a life that reflects their love and devotion to Jesus.
I told you about my hero, Geraldine “MawMac” McCurry, and how she influenced me so much. What I didn’t tell you was that MawMac had a set of “internal rules” by which she lived. I can’t tell you what all of them were, but I know there were certain things that she felt simply were not done. For instance, after one of her falls, she was unable to wear her high-heeled pumps and a dress to church – and for awhile, she had to wear slacks and sandals (which meant she could not wear stockings). She considered this terribly inappropriate for church attendance. I have to tell you, as I sat at a funeral in her church’s sanctuary lately on a 100+ degree day, wearing sandals and bear legs with my dress, I thought, “MawMac would not approve!” In her honor, I will wear stockings with my dress to her funeral… even if the temperatures are scorching!
Now this may seem like a minor, silly thing… but it is only one small example of how we are influenced by our elders – and how what we do matters to those around us. We may never see the “fruits of our labor”… it may seem like we are not making a difference at all. But in truth, our wisdom and influence matters greatly. I have 40-year-old first graders who still talk about their “guitar-playing first grade teacher” on a regular basis. I had no clue that singing songs in a crowded classroom would make such an impact… and you have no clue what you are saying and doing that is influencing others, too!
Check your attitudes… your behaviors… your appearance and demeanor. Make sure that you are exhibiting the traits of a Disciple of Christ. Share wisdom and Christian behavior for others on a daily basis… and be a good role model – even if those gray hairs are still years away.
©2011 Debbie Robus
Young people take pride in their strength, but the gray hairs of wisdom are even more beautiful.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Someone paid me a compliment recently, and in thanking them, I said, “I have had some great role models.” From my grandmother and her peers, to my mother and mother-in-law and many of their friends, to dear ladies (and gentlemen) I know who attend our church and the church in which I grew up… I am surrounded by Godly influences. Many, like my grandmother, have aged to a point where the tables have turned in terms of strength. I am now more able bodied and help her with things that are no longer easily accomplished… from driving, to paying bills and balancing the checkbook, to shopping and more.
By keeping Timothy so often – and caring for my grandmother – I recognize that many of the things I do for him are things she and my mother did for me not so long ago. Now I am repaying them, somewhat, by paying it forward. And this is where you come in... it is your turn to start sharing your blessings and wisdom with others in your own path.
As you go about your day, I assure you that people are watching… from the little kid down the street who sees you in the driveway and observes your demeanor to the older folks who meet you in the grocery store or the aisle at church. They notice when you are polite… and when you are not. They see your body language and your overall appearance… they hear the language that comes out of your mouth… they determine what sort of person you are by how you conduct yourself – even in the privacy of your own yard! For those of us who are older and (supposedly) wiser, we can easily become discouraged when we see that the kindness and “sage wisdom” we impart to younger people seems to be ignored. We can get upset and feel like those we tried to nurture have failed to live up to our expectations – or even brought us major disappointment.
This is rotten thinking on our part. Our job is not to love others with any expectations or desired outcomes. That’s why it’s called unconditional love. We are to nurture others… to live as an example of the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ… and leave the outcomes to God Almighty. While I occasionally may think to myself, “What would So-and-so think if he/she saw me now?”… for the most part, I never give a second thought to the opinions of my role models. I know that they love me me no matter what. They might disapprove of my methods or actions once in awhile… and yes, a few have voiced their opinions from time to time in that regard… but mostly, they just go about the business of living a life that reflects their love and devotion to Jesus.
I told you about my hero, Geraldine “MawMac” McCurry, and how she influenced me so much. What I didn’t tell you was that MawMac had a set of “internal rules” by which she lived. I can’t tell you what all of them were, but I know there were certain things that she felt simply were not done. For instance, after one of her falls, she was unable to wear her high-heeled pumps and a dress to church – and for awhile, she had to wear slacks and sandals (which meant she could not wear stockings). She considered this terribly inappropriate for church attendance. I have to tell you, as I sat at a funeral in her church’s sanctuary lately on a 100+ degree day, wearing sandals and bear legs with my dress, I thought, “MawMac would not approve!” In her honor, I will wear stockings with my dress to her funeral… even if the temperatures are scorching!
Now this may seem like a minor, silly thing… but it is only one small example of how we are influenced by our elders – and how what we do matters to those around us. We may never see the “fruits of our labor”… it may seem like we are not making a difference at all. But in truth, our wisdom and influence matters greatly. I have 40-year-old first graders who still talk about their “guitar-playing first grade teacher” on a regular basis. I had no clue that singing songs in a crowded classroom would make such an impact… and you have no clue what you are saying and doing that is influencing others, too!
Check your attitudes… your behaviors… your appearance and demeanor. Make sure that you are exhibiting the traits of a Disciple of Christ. Share wisdom and Christian behavior for others on a daily basis… and be a good role model – even if those gray hairs are still years away.
©2011 Debbie Robus
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