LXIII

This is what 63 looks like.

I never really thought I would be this old. In fact, I never really cared if I would be this old.

When I was young, 63 sounded ancient. I remember listening to the Beatles singing “When I’m 64” and thinking, “I can’t imagine.” Next year, Lord willing, I will find out.

I knew that I would always want to get married. I knew that I would also want to have children. But the thought of growing old, never really occurred to me. I thought I would be, as Bob Dylan says, “Forever Young”.

To imagine me at this age, 63 now doesn’t sound so old to me. In my head, I think I’m 19, and to be honest with you, when the evening is nice and I roll the windows down blasting my music, I’m 19 again.

But here I am, and what do I make of this? First, I’m very happy to still be here. I do look forward to the Lords return, but there is unfinished work here.

I had never really thought of retirement. Many of my age are either retired, or are seriously close to considering it. I am not. I have no desire to stop preaching. If the time comes and I’m no longer preaching at the church, I will be sharing the gospel somewhere. Maybe on the street corners, particularly because I asked the Lord to never have me do that.

I always thought that this age will be boring, and it’s just the opposite. I have found more enjoyment in my 60s, (although the pain and aches are sometimes a bit harsh), because of the little munchkins I have running around at my feet.

My children are grown and adults, and I’ve been blessed with four wonderful grandchildren. I would not go back to be younger and miss any of this, ever, in my life.

I believe I have matured some, and in some ways I have not. Bonnie has always been my rock, as she has stuck by me these 33 years, even when I feel that she shouldn’t have to put up with my shenanigans.

Our love has grown tremendously, and the sharing of our grandchildren has been a blessing I never expected. I have remarkable children. Two have married remarkable spouses that love the Lord, and I’m sure my youngest Ben will do the same. They are raising their Children in the admonition and teachings of the Lord. Not only that, but my children are fun. I laugh so hard at times that I cry, and probably come close to wetting myself at 63.

Life is good, but God is gooder. I have such a closer walk with the Lord, and I’ve discovered the more I discover about God the less I really know about him. But He has always been faithful. He’s always been kind. He has always been reliable. And He’s always been loving, even when I am not.

So here I am at 63. What the future holds, I can’t tell, but I do know who holds the future. The thoughts of getting aged is scary, only because of what I see of those older than me going through physically. But I trust God. Whatever I go through, He will lead me through it.

So what do I make of being 63? I absolutely love it. And if anybody knows Paul McCartney personally, tell him that I didn’t have to wait to 64 to lose my hair. I started that about 30 years ago.