Tag Archives: Christianity

The Silver Lining While Waiting for Healing

Posted on March 29, 2017 by

I’ve had a difficult time of it recently. Though the surgery I had in February was successful, I was rehospitalized a couple weeks later with complications. Urine was leaking into my abdomen, causing severe pain. The doctors fitted me with … Continue reading →

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A Wineskin in the Smoke

Posted on February 28, 2017 by

I had surgery a week ago. I had only undergone surgery under general anesthetic once before, an outpatient surgery about fifteen years ago. This time, I had a cancerous body part removed, meaning I was unconscious for longer than during … Continue reading →

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Spiritual Simplification, or Jesus at the Door with Burgers, Fries, and a Drink

Posted on December 3, 2015 by

Several months ago, I started a series of posts in response to theologian Lewis Joseph Sherrill’s contention that simplification is the primary psychological task of late adulthood. Sherrill described simplification as “distinguishing the more important from the less important, getting … Continue reading →

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Retirement Leisure vs. Sabbath Rest

Posted on April 21, 2015 by

I wrote a few months ago about leisure in retirement, suggesting that one benefit of leisure is to remind us that the value of human life isn’t measured solely by the yardstick of productivity. In this post, I will compare leisure with something else that involves … Continue reading →

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Ash Wednesday: You’re Gonna Die

Posted on February 16, 2015 by

I’m writing this a few days before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar. Most Ash Wednesday services give participants the opportunity to have ashes–a symbol of mortality–rubbed on their foreheads. The presiding minister says something like “Remember … Continue reading →

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Come Lord Jesus

Posted on December 24, 2014 by

Advent is nearly over; Christmas is near. Followers of Christ anticipate celebrating his three comings–in Bethlehem, upon his eventual return to earth, and in our hearts. We who are older have lived through many Advents and welcomed many Christmas mornings. … Continue reading →

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The Holy Fool

Posted on July 9, 2014 by

I recently read Harold Fickett’s 1983 novel The Holy Fool. Haven’t heard of it? Neither had I. It addresses some interesting issues concerning midlife, though, and that captured my interest. Fickett tells the story of Ted Marsh, a Baptist pastor … Continue reading →

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Albert Schweitzer on Maturity

Posted on June 18, 2014 by

I recently ran across a quote about ‘maturity’ attributed to Albert Schweitzer. As he neared age 70, he reportedly wrote: “The meaning of maturity which we should develop in ourselves is that we should strive always to become simpler, kinder, … Continue reading →

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Why Belong to a Church Where Everyone Is Younger Than Me?

Posted on May 29, 2014 by

Why belong a church whose members are all younger than me, most by several decades? The first time I visited Square Inch Community Church, I thought, “Not only am I older than everyone here, my kids are older than most … Continue reading →

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When Older Adults Think of the Dead

Posted on April 1, 2014 by

In a recent post about the unprocessed emotions that many older adults accumulate, I quoted a line by 93-year-old essayist Roger Angell to the effect that advanced age provides plenty of opportunities for bad news. Angell also describes his experiences with loss; in this post … Continue reading →

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