December 2

“Each stage of our lives offers its own fresh opportunities.  Face with courage the approach of old age, both for yourselves and for those dear to you, realizing that it may bring wisdom, serenity and detachment...Bring the whole of your daily life under the ordering of the spirit of Christ.  Live adventurously.  In every situation seek to be aware of the presence of God, praying that spiritual energies in yourself and in others may be released for the furtherance of God’s kingdom.”  Advices, 1964, Daily Readings from Quaker Writings, 11/9

This Quaker Advice is especially relevant for me because I am indeed approaching “old age”.  In addition, I’m entering a new stage of my life because my youngest child will be graduating from high school in less than three years.  I often find myself wanting to ask my mother what things were like for her during this phase of her life.  Then I remember she’s no longer here.  I never thought to ask her before she died nine years ago because I hadn’t entered this stage yet.  This is one of those “bits of wisdom” I’d like to impart to my children now:  Don’t live as though you know everything already.  Because I felt I had a handle on life at the moment it never occurred to me that I might one day be caught off guard.  This doesn’t apply just to the many questions I wished I’d asked my mother, but also to the questions I need to be asking God right now.  The only way I will know there is even a question to be asked is to seek to be in His presence continually.  I mustn’t wait until later when I think I need God.  I need to know right now that I need Him all the time.

“Seek the LORD while he may be found, call upon him while he is near;”  Isaiah 55:6