According to Chuck Swindoll, older adults are often characterized by four negative attitudes: (1) fear, (2) guilt, (3) uselessness, and (4) bitterness or self-pity. None of these descriptors fit my former friend and mentor, Annie Cheairs. To inspire you to finish life well, may I tell you about her? When I was a mere [...]
Recently, I spent an entire afternoon in the ER awaiting medical help for my strong husband. Although quite painful, his issue was not life-threatening. Even so, it was a reminder of our physical frailties and even our mortality. Both of us are quite healthy, so I sometimes forget the passing decades. God has ways of [...]
WHEN YOUR PARENT MOVES IN is written to adult children, the sandwich generation, who may be contemplating multigenerational living. However, it is also a profitable read for the older parent considering such a change in their living circumstances or even those already in the midst of adjusting to their new life living with an adult [...]
WHY MULTIGENERATIONAL? When retirees combine their housing needs with those of younger families, there can be multiple benefits. More than 100 examples of such interdependent living situations are the focus of Together Again: A Creative Guide to Successful Multigenerational Living. The oft-repeated advantage for the generation raising children is assistance with child care. The kiddos [...]
One summer, two friends and I instigated a 3-family picnic—the Millers, the Hines, and the Fowlers. It was great fun until my dear friend jumped off a rope swing and broke her ankle. During her recovery from subsequent surgeries, she spent more than a little time in a wheelchair pushed about by her gregarious, caring [...]
CHAOS, CONFUSION, & CONFLICT can be prevented in times of crisis. Those who complete the Heritage of Hope six-part program to prepare for the end of this life will create both a plan and a support team. It is our prayer that all our alumni will complete their HOH checklists, hold meetings to build [...]
Have you noticed how often we Christians adopt our culture’s despair over aging? To verify the reality of ageism, go shopping for a birthday card! God’s viewpoint is strangely different. Scripture refers to LONG LIFE as a reward, a gift, and a blessing. To prompt our thankfulness as the birthdays accumulate, I’ve identified 26 blessings [...]
In a park near the home we enjoyed in Washington, the Lewis River tumbles over rocks and tree roots to create the most soothing sound I know. As much as I loved to walk rapidly up, down, and around the three-mile loop through the forest, I was inevitably drawn to one bench by the river. [...]
What a rotten week it’s been! Nothing seems to have gone right. But tomorrow is Thursday—THRIVE TIME—something to look forward to. What is THRIVE TIME? Let me tell you. It’s one of those many examples of God turning something not-so-good into something very good. I’d waited most of my married life to have more time [...]
Question #1: How do you speak of your death? Jesus did not experience the aging process, but he faced death. From his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and several discussions with his disciples, it is apparent that he knew the hour and details of his coming crucifixion. Surprisingly, Jesus does not speak of death [...]
