Growing older gracefully

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Do you believe as you grow older that you become kinder or wiser, or do you believe as people get older they just become crankier and grumpy?

Ive noticed working amonst retired people that there are two kinds of people, ones that are kind and care about others ones that are mean and only care about themselves, and it just becomes more pronounced as people get older.

As christians elders ought to be the ones who are kind and wise dont you think? How can you grow older gracefully? Is it intentional or only what God can help you with?
 
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This made me think of heaven when all families are reunited again.
My own family some are scattered all over the world. My brother organsied a family reunion one time and it was really interesting to find out the history of my family and disapora. I remember going to canada to see relatives I had never met and its funny that wherever you go, family is family you recognise each other cos you have something in your blood that says you belong to each other.

Mum went back to hong kong for the first time in decades a few years ago and caught up with childhood friends she hadnt seen for years since primary school and then to china and the village where my family comes from. Now of course she doenst want to live there now but its her birthright. She wilingly gave it up.

I have my own birthright and Im not givng that up cos I can see that when people do, they have a conflict, they arent happy when they are away from home. They may appear so, but what it comes down to is they need to be home. Its why Jesus went to back to bethany to ascend as thats near bethlehem where he was born.

As we get older I think we value material things money can buy less and elemental things more. Were the jewish people really happy to be scattered all across the world and liivng in ghettos? No they want to be together as one family again. Its why israel as nation now exists. And not in some place like tanzania which they have no connection to but actually in the land God had promised them.

I like Lanolin's comment that as we get older we value material things less, and 'elemental' things more. Or we should. We should realise what the really important things in life are. Perhaps this is part of growing older gracefully and hopefully what should make us wiser.

What is the point of being 100 years old, living in a mansion, with a ton of money, if you have no one to share it with and no one who loves you. We all need a 'home', and what makes a 'home' are people. Our people. Whether that is our biological family or our church family. As one anthropologist put it "we all need our tribe".
 
I like Lanolin's comment that as we get older we value material things less, and 'elemental' things more. Or we should. We should realise what the really important things in life are. Perhaps this is part of growing older gracefully and hopefully what should make us wiser.

What is the point of being 100 years old, living in a mansion, with a ton of money, if you have no one to share it with and no one who loves you. We all need a 'home', and what makes a 'home' are people. Our people. Whether that is our biological family or our church family. As one anthropologist put it "we all need our tribe".
Annie,
It should never be about the money, but it most often us. Yes, as you get older and the desire to move up the old ladder dissipates, it does become about the things money cannot buy. I have reached the age where I am starting to pay attention to my mortality. I hope to still have a while to go, but there is much less a road to my front than there is to my rear.

rtm3039
 
Annie,
It should never be about the money, but it most often us. Yes, as you get older and the desire to move up the old ladder dissipates, it does become about the things money cannot buy. I have reached the age where I am starting to pay attention to my mortality. I hope to still have a while to go, but there is much less a road to my front than there is to my rear.

rtm3039

For some. money doesn't seem to be important, even when they have little. For others, the monetary challenges loom greater in their thoughts, even when they can maintain a comfortable lifestyle. I have noticed that many previously wealthy grow unhappy when they are no longer able to maintain their prior level.

For myself and my wife, we are not having the retirement I was planning for. My career was cut short, and health issues took a good chunk of what I had previously saved.

But we are both greatful and thank the Lord daily for how magnificently He has provided. There are others that have much less and I can understand their concerns, but adjusting to His provisioning rather than concentrating on deficiencies leads to more pleasant latter years.
 
For some. money doesn't seem to be important, even when they have little. For others, the monetary challenges loom greater in their thoughts, even when they can maintain a comfortable lifestyle. I have noticed that many previously wealthy grow unhappy when they are no longer able to maintain their prior level.

For myself and my wife, we are not having the retirement I was planning for. My career was cut short, and health issues took a good chunk of what I had previously saved.

But we are both greatful and thank the Lord daily for how magnificently He has provided. There are others that have much less and I can understand their concerns, but adjusting to His provisioning rather than concentrating on deficiencies leads to more pleasant latter years.
Having raised five kids, an upside-down house, and a failed business have kept us financially humble. Despite these financial drawbacks, we have never gone hungry, have a roof over our heads, and know that we have been blessed to the fullest. No matter what financial issues we have come across, God has always (I mean ALWAYS) given us the opportunity to resolve them. As I grow closer to retirement (about 6 more years), we will retire with all we need. No yacht in our future, but I sure will be grateful for a rowboat and two good paddles.
 
Am going to be one of those octogenarians who garden every inch of her home and then the berm too. If I dont marry I will just be the aunty who has everyone over to stay at her place and looks after stray cats or something lol

Well maybe not that extreme. I dont think I could retire with a bunch of random people my age and have no children around in a closed gate community. Its ok for some but not for me. Who knows what God has planned as we dont really know when Hes going to come for each of us.

If I did have a huge mansion (not likely!) and ended up being the only one living in it, I think I would ask God to put it to good use as a foster home or a community house, or just a place to have quiet bible study. I dont know if i could sell it to just anyone. If it had good bones it wouldnt be worth to bulldoze it and build say a parking lot for the money.

With so many people that are now homeless and landless they need a place of refuge. Maybe it would be that place. I was thinking how what happens now when people die the land just gets sold off to developers who then squeeze more houses on it to collect rents. Those houses arent for their grandchildren. Theres no inheritance.

I often think about inheritance that esau gave up for stew.
A lot of people are giving up their inheritance cos they dont value it. They are not passing on anything to their children or granchildren, so they cant get the blessing. ISaac did want to bless Esau as was his birthright as the first born but, Jacob got instead.

Now centuries later those descendents are still fighting over that land. So its not a small thing. Its hugely important for future generations.
 
Having raised five kids, an upside-down house, and a failed business have kept us financially humble. Despite these financial drawbacks, we have never gone hungry, have a roof over our heads, and know that we have been blessed to the fullest. No matter what financial issues we have come across, God has always (I mean ALWAYS) given us the opportunity to resolve them. As I grow closer to retirement (about 6 more years), we will retire with all we need. No yacht in our future, but I sure will be grateful for a rowboat and two good paddles.

For me, as I grow older, I would not need a lot of money if my kids would stop asking for money.
 
Do you believe as you grow older that you become kinder or wiser, or do you believe as people get older they just become crankier and grumpy?

Ive noticed working amonst retired people that there are two kinds of people, ones that are kind and care about others ones that are mean and only care about themselves, and it just becomes more pronounced as people get older.

As christians elders ought to be the ones who are kind and wise dont you think? How can you grow older gracefully? Is it intentional or only what God can help you with?

When we get older, we are a product of our Faith and faithing. The finished work of the Potter working the clay.

Does that mean we are seen as acceptable in the eyes of the world, not a chance! We can never be seen as acceptable by anyone but the Father, and that is the result of being cloaked with Christ by Grace through Faith and faithing.
 
I've often been asked for "spare change," but have never figured out what that is. Is space change that change you were going to throw away anyway?
Its just coins you have in your wallet. Sometimes you buy something and the shopkeepers give you change when you pay by notes and its not a round amount. You dont throw it away you usually keep it in your wallet in case you need it or put in the piggy bank. Handy for paying things like parking, vending machines or anything requiring coins, or at the $2 shop.
Not everything is paid by a card. Things like sausage sizzles and raffles. Usually $1.50 or $1 or $2
If you are flush with cash and dont want to carry coins then you can say to the seller 'keep the change' and they will have made an extra profit.

Its just small amounts of money. Its not anything over $5.
 
When we get older, we are a product of our Faith and faithing. The finished work of the Potter working the clay.

Does that mean we are seen as acceptable in the eyes of the world, not a chance! We can never be seen as acceptable by anyone but the Father, and that is the result of being cloaked with Christ by Grace through Faith and faithing.
Havent heard of the word 'faithing' before...!
I would say if you look at people through the eyes of God you would be able to see if they have faith or not. Wouldnt they just be shiny, not literally having haloes, but their eyes would light up and they would in general be good to be around.

Some people arent so nice to be around because they are in darkness and havent encountered the light.
 
Havent heard of the word 'faithing' before...!
I would say if you look at people through the eyes of God you would be able to see if they have faith or not. Wouldnt they just be shiny, not literally having haloes, but their eyes would light up and they would in general be good to be around.

Some people arent so nice to be around because they are in darkness and havent encountered the light.

More times than not, those who are under the chastisement of the Lord may not be that good to be around.

But I'm getting your point.
 
Its just coins you have in your wallet. Sometimes you buy something and the shopkeepers give you change when you pay by notes and its not a round amount. You dont throw it away you usually keep it in your wallet in case you need it or put in the piggy bank. Handy for paying things like parking, vending machines or anything requiring coins, or at the $2 shop.
Not everything is paid by a card. Things like sausage sizzles and raffles. Usually $1.50 or $1 or $2
If you are flush with cash and dont want to carry coins then you can say to the seller 'keep the change' and they will have made an extra profit.

Its just small amounts of money. Its not anything over $5.

Lots of words I don't understand. What is a "sausage sizzle?" Is a "raffle" a lottery ticket?

The only time I say "keep the change" is if the change is less than $.05. Many places here, especially small "mom and pop" stores, have these small trays on the register counter. If you end up with pennies, you can put them in the holder. If someone then buys something that includes a couple of pennies ($1.02), they can reach in and use the pennies in the tray. Personally, I have no idea why we even mint pennies anymore, but that's another subject.

I do not carry change in my pockets, but I keep it in the cup holder of my jeep and, when I come across someone asking for this "spare change," I pass it on. Here in Miami, the streets are full of people asking for money, so change is never enough. I do; however, have several of these folks that I like and usually hold the change until I come across them. Last year, this got a little out of hand and I turned in the coins for paper money. It was over $160.00.

As for debit cards, it's almost always what I use. In fact, I think I have had the same $3.00 in my pocket for over a week.

Rtm3039
 
Lots of words I don't understand. What is a "sausage sizzle?" Is a "raffle" a lottery ticket?

The only time I say "keep the change" is if the change is less than $.05. Many places here, especially small "mom and pop" stores, have these small trays on the register counter. If you end up with pennies, you can put them in the holder. If someone then buys something that includes a couple of pennies ($1.02), they can reach in and use the pennies in the tray. Personally, I have no idea why we even mint pennies anymore, but that's another subject.

I do not carry change in my pockets, but I keep it in the cup holder of my jeep and, when I come across someone asking for this "spare change," I pass it on. Here in Miami, the streets are full of people asking for money, so change is never enough. I do; however, have several of these folks that I like and usually hold the change until I come across them. Last year, this got a little out of hand and I turned in the coins for paper money. It was over $160.00.

As for debit cards, it's almost always what I use. In fact, I think I have had the same $3.00 in my pocket for over a week.

Rtm3039
Ok I will explain. When people ask for money they might ask lots of people for spare change so it will add up to something substantial if they keep asking different people. So dont feel you have to give them anything but coins.

A sausage sizzle is when people grill sausages on a bbq (in your country, like a hot dog or weiner) to sell to raise funds for something. Usually sold at $1.50 per sausage.

A raffle is like a lottery its a bunch of prizes people pick a number, pay for a ticket and if their ticket is drawn they win the prize. Usually its just $1 a ticket. The money also goes towards whatever you raising funds for.

Other places where its handy to have cash is when donating to charities. If everyone gives a little, it will add up to much. Its really only richer people that can flash their credit cards around, but not everything is always set up to take cards.
 
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