Ding Dong

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Those who have sharp brains can remember appointment dates, people’s names, and where they put things. A little mental bell rings, and the info quickly pops into their frontal lobes. My bell must be wrapped in a towel, because it’s often too muffled to hear.

Two weeks ago, my faithful old IBM computer tower died during multiple power outages. Even though it was a used, rebuilt office model, it had given us many years of service. Today a new tower is in place and working well.

Of course before we could let the old computer go, we needed to remove the hard drive and our personal information. I took the tower to my favorite techie who saved everything before disposing of it.

Right then is when my towel-wrapped mental bell began ringing, but of course I didn’t hear it. It wasn’t until after a week’s worth of muffled clanging that I woke with a start thinking, “My new CD is in the old tower!”

Having turned the house upside-down looking for a just-purchased Barbra Streisand CD, I finally remembered, but it was too late. When I called our tech guy, he told me the old tower was long gone. So the CD was lost, and I felt old and forgetful.

Mom used to have decorative napkins that said, “Old age isn’t for sissies,” and I’m beginning to appreciate that. I’m actually getting there faster than most with my muffled mental bell, because I know several 90-somethings who would have remembered to get the CD out of the tower.

All of us wonder about our futures, how long we’ll live, what health issues we’ll have, whether or not we’ll end up in nursing homes. Those are unknowns God will gradually reveal, bit by bit. One thing we know now, though, is that none of it will be easy.

I remember reading about a project in which high school kids were given geriatric characteristics: Vaselined glasses to blurr their vision; cotton balls in their ears to mute conversation; gloves to make it difficult to pick things up; weighted clothing to make walking laborious.

The kids were disbelieving, and they hadn’t even been given joint pain, diabetes, heart damage, or cancer. But studying how life is going to change for all of us if we live long enough should not inspire fear. Instead it should produce gratitude for what we have today.

We should also rejoice that God promises to be as fully available in our old age as he was in our youth. Although we experience subtle mini-losses every day, he never changes, never grows old, never tires and he never, ever has a loss.

I hope I can remember that when I’m pushing 100. Maybe I should burn it onto a CD.

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you.” (Isaiah 46:4)

What about today?

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Last week as Jack and I were walking on an extremely windy beach well after sunset, white water was a feast for the eyes and ears. But down the shoreline there was an alarming sight: the red and blue flashing lights of a police vehicle, right at the water’s edge. It was several miles away, but the distinctive blinking lights gave me the same chill as if I’d seen them in my car’s rear view mirror.

“Probably just crazy kids at a beach campfire,” I said to Jack. We continued walking, not thinking much about it, but over the weekend we learned more. While we were again at the beach, an official-looking dune buggy appeared from the north. The driver, bundled in a down coat, mask, goggles and earmuff-hat, stopped right next to us.

“What’s happening?” I said.

His answer shocked me. “We’re looking for a body to wash up here.”

Apparently three teenage boys and their kayaks had braved the high waves of a recent windstorm with a tragic outcome. Though all were experienced swimmers wearing wet suits, life jackets and helmets, once out in the churning waves, some as high as 14 feet, they capsized and were yanked under by vicious rip tides. One boy managed to get back to shore for help, and police arrived quickly, along with the coast guard. They were able to rescue the second boy and spotted the third clinging to his kayak, but before they could reach him, he slipped from his life jacket and disappeared under the waves.

While I was picturing that panicky scene, the beach official interrupted. “He’s dressed in black. If you see his body, call 911.”

Immediately my thoughts turned to this boy’s family. Their agony must have been compounded by knowing rescuers saw him in the water, still alive, still battling to hold on, yet couldn’t get to him in time. And surely he saw them trying.

In the ensuing search from the supposed safety of a $180,000 boat, even trained experts were overturned and landed in the hospital. “There were high waves from all directions,” one of the rescuers said, “and extreme rip currents. A rogue wave broadsided our boat and overturned it.”

Most of us wake up each morning confident we’ll crawl back into bed that night, but none of us knows for certain.

When Nate was terminally sick, we all knew death was close, which caused us to live and act differently. His rapidly changing appearance was a day-to-day visual reminding us to make the most of every hour. Valuable words flowed freely and loving touches were continuous, because we knew what was about to happen.

But normally, we don’t know. Mitchell Fajman didn’t know. Scripture says: “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.” (James 4:14) Although we acknowledge this in our heads, our busy lives say otherwise.

Oh, that we might all live today like there was no tomorrow, appreciating each other and each moment.

“You ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live… and do this or that.’ ” (James 4:15)

Time’s Up

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We all awoke to the surprising news that Muammar Gaddafi had been killed. As journalists scrambled to determine how much was rumor and how much true, one report said he’d been found hiding in a hole when confronted by those who’d been hunting him down. Apparently his last words were, “Don’t shoot.”

It’s interesting that Saddam Hussein was also found hiding in a hole, an ignominious end neither of these ruthless dictators could have envisioned.

This morning I heard a newscast quote from Gaddafi. Years ago he said, “I will become the king of kings.” Those of us who believe in Jesus Christ know that position has already been filled, permanently. Scripture describes the coming Messiah as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), and we believe Jesus is that One.

Apparently Gaddafi didn’t realize he was never even in the running.

As a Christian, I have many questions but know they’ll all be matched with answers in eternity. When the executive pastor of my Illinois church lost his wife to cancer, he commented how she instantly had more knowledge and understanding than the most degreed seminarian. I believe that’s true of Nate, too. To see Jesus will be to “get it,” and that glorious moment of answered questions is awaiting all of us who love him.

One minute after Muammar Gaddafi died, he “got it,” too, as he stood in front of the real King of kings. Scripture attests to that (Hebrews 9:27), and I trust it. We’re not told what happened next, but we do know Gaddafi’s soul is now in the hands of a flawlessly righteous Judge whose decisions cannot be contested.

Justice will be done.

“Come and see the works of God. He rules by His might forever. His eyes keep watch on the nations. Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.” (Psalm 66:5,7)