NO LIMITS...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"By 20, you should be smart.  By 30, you should be strong.

By 40, you should be rich.  By 50, you should be wise.                                   

But...If you are smart, strong, rich and wise, you don't need any age limits."

Santosh Kalwar

 

Thanksgiving Day is 'bout here...two more days!  Families are already gathering, someone is doing lots of baking...turkey, pies...all kinds of delicious goodies and the scales are put away for awhile. Gracious...might better hide 'em until after New Year's...you think?

 

I really like this time of year...love the fall temperatures...crispness...sleeping in a warm bed...in a cozy home...with someone I so love!  Aah, life is good and I'm most thankful.

 

The quote above caught my eye; I was already thinking about how 'every day should be ‘Thanksgiving' and really there's no limit to our thankfulness, whatever our age or stage in life.

 

Well, we actually can't eat like 'the day' every day...or should we?  Wow, we couldn't get through the door!  But, for that day with all the leftovers, it sure is good...isn't it?

Here’s my take on the quote:

By 20, I should be smart:

At 20...M and I were not yet married but we were 'thinking about it'...I was thinkin’ more than M.  Since it takes two I practiced patience; at 22 we were there!  Yay! 

 

By 23 we had Steven...by 25 we had Jeffrey...by 26 we had Patrick...by 28 we had Scott.  Whew...so much for smart by 20...I was a slow learner! By 29, I was smart (enough).

 

By 30, I should be strong:

At 30 M and I had moved 6 times...yikes!  At 32 we had a huge career change and 'joined the army'...yay!  In the interim 'tween 30 and 40 we had moved to Greece, seen M off to Viet Nam then off to Africa, Virginia and Oklahoma.  Life was busy and I had three major emergency surgeries w/o Michael around.  

By 30, believe me I was strong!

 

By 40, I should be rich:

Turning into the 40th year of my life brought changes...monetarily speaking the cash flow turned into a drought as in college for four sons!  We were blest being able  to live in Norman those years...whew, the boys could live at home! Monetary riches are not what's important, right?  We had always been rich in love with all the trimmings!  We just didn't worry about finances...we never had leftover or savings but God always saw that we had enough at just the right time...HE's good about that, always!

 

While there, Michael served as an Elder for the first time...richness in many forms came with that as in growing in Him.  We also worked with the Univ. of Oklahoma student ministry in Norman...talk about rich?  Wow! That experience is ongoing...we're Facebook friends with many of those 'kids'...now they're 'grown-ups'. 

 

At 49 M had retired from the military and become a hospital/school administrator…another career! Our sons finished their college work, married and established families... careers...more riches for us!  Grandchildren...well now, how rich is that? By the end of my forties, I was covered in riches!

 

By 50, I should be wise:

I was not the smartest on the block, ever...but I was and still am curious!  Sometimes I think I mouth off too much and that's not good...my bad.  Some people are just slower than others and that's probably me!  But, along the way I've gleaned perhaps a little wisdom. 

 

The gain is due to such a patient God and my loving companion Michael...he's very wise!

 

After M’s second retirement we moved to help His work in Wisconsin...M also served as an Elder there and we matured some more...as in wisdom!  Step by step I've learned a few things...from 50 on God was completely in charge and age just had no limits. 

 

 

How could it?  Who would consider moving to China in their 70's?  Well, we aren't the Lone Ranger's in that department but there aren't a flood of 'em...it took a lot of all of the above stages/experiences for us to make a go of it...God was there every step of the way!

 

We've had Thanksgiving Days all over the world; taught our Greek, German, Dutch, Ethiopian and Chinese friends about Thanksgiving Day...they seemed to like it…very interested in learning about turkeys!

 

Winding down...I just put my hand on my heart and let it stay there for a bit...to get the beat...the feel of it. You see, it's a different heart than I used to have...I have His heart, I am His child.  And trust me, with Him there is no age limit...and it's awesome!   

 

Thanksgiving Day and every day, I thank you Father...for caring so for me...

I love you!

From my heart...to yours, Vasca