Jewels

 I recently had my 75^th birthday.  That’s kind of a milestone in life…sort of like reaching age 30 or 40.  Only 75 means that there have been many more days gone by, many more things that I’ve seen or done, and many more times I’ve messed up something or had to ask forgiveness.

It also means taking a cadre of pills each morning and evening, and sometimes one or two in between.  It means not being able, or no longer wanting to do some of what I’ve done in years past.  Things such as crawling under a house to fix a plumbing leak, or getting under a car to change the oil myself.

The joints don’t flex like they did some time ago.  In fact, the joints often rebel when I try to flex them and let me know that arthritis has taken its toll.  My fingers don’t always move the way I tell them to move.  My eyes aren’t as sharp as they were awhile back, even with cataract surgery and correction.  The brain takes a little longer to process something new, and it’s more difficult to remember names, places, and other assorted facts of life.

More than the physical, I’m becoming a little more, shall we say, detached from some of the world events.  Yes, I still care about the war in the Ukraine.  Yes, I still am concerned about North Korea.  Yes, I still keep up with the Wichita City Council and the Kansas Legislature, along with what’s happening in the world..  But the politics, hijinks, world issues, and half-baked explanations coming from politicians don’t bother me as much as they did some years ago.  And I try to be more understanding of people who truly have to make hard decisions sometimes, that they know will affect perhaps tens of thousands of others.

I’ve become more interested in what God has to say, whether that’s in the Bible, the environment, or in the lives of others.  I’m more interested in making sure that in the event of my demise, my wife and offspring won’t have a horrible time sorting out my business affairs.  I’m more interested in leaving this world a little better than I found it, or at least not any worse, which isn’t at all an easy thing to do.  And I’m more interested in enjoying the beauty of nature, the relationships I have with others, and finding time to appreciate the little things in life.

I’m still a work in progress, however, with some things.  I get frustrated with other drivers on the road, even though I know I frustrate them at times, too.  I have too little patience with my grandkids sometimes, not understanding that they may be tired or otherwise out of sorts when they act out.  I still have to wonder, when working with a benevolence case, how some people can make the decisions that they make regarding money, friends, or faith even when they know that doing the same thing over and over will NOT eventually bring about a different result.  As I said, though, I’m not the epitome of perfection either.  And I have to understand that as I continue to work to be more understanding with others and less judgmental.

So, I still have some work to do.  I need to continue to ask God to keep on refining, keep on molding, keep on making me into one fit for His kingdom.  I’m reminded of the old children’s song written by William Cushing in 1866.  Called, “When He Cometh,” the last verse goes like this:  Little children, little children who love their redeemer are the jewels, precious jewels, his loved and his own.  Like the stars of the morning, his bright crown adorning, they shall shine in their beauty, bright gems for his crown.”

This is generally thought of as a children’s song.  However, we who are Christians are called the children of God, and in the Old Testament God’s people are referred to as jewels.  I like to think of myself sometimes in the way the song describes.  Even though I may think of myself as less than precious and less than shining like a precious jewel, God sees me in a different light.  To him, I AM a jewel…bright and shining…that one day will adorn his crown, so to speak.  And that thought gives me pause and prompts feelings of gratitude and praise.

And I hope it will do the same for you as you think of yourself as a precious jewel in God’s kingdom.

 Blessings,