Christian Living

Beyond the Rust Belt

by paul hoffmaster
06/13/25
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The older I get, the more I realize what the ramifications of old age entail.  Things that were once executed with ease are now suddenly more difficult.  Sounds that I would normally display at will have been dwarfed by involuntary noises.  Bodily pains that were once due to the overtaxing of my physical body have given way to aches and pains resulting from little or no physical activity.  I could be having a meal, and all of a sudden, my nose begins to run.  I wake up in the middle of the night with my mouth so dry I can hardly part my lips.  I’ve noticed that over the last few years, I’ve become shorter and wider.  I never used to snore, but lately I have given credence to mimicking a freight train.  Afternoons become a breeding time for catnaps.  At night, I find myself frequenting the “ivory pedestal” more often than during the day.

The closer I get to the end of my earthly adventure, the easier it is to be cranky.  I find myself getting frustrated and annoyed with little things.  I find hairs protruding from places I never imagined.  My memory seems to take a break just when I need it most.  New extensions for my hands in the form of canes and walkers have suddenly found a home.  Glasses change from single lens to trifocal.  I think I can hear pretty well, but people think I need “earplugs” with amplifiers.  New words enter my vocabulary like arthritis, bursitis, and inflammation.   My medicine cabinet has become a pharmacy.  The so-called Golden Age is turning out to be a fictional concept. 

Our minds tend to exaggerate the negatives.  When we dwell on the vulnerable aspects of aging, there is a strong possibility that our attitude will be affected.   Altitude determines attitude.  If we only look at our diminishing returns, we have opened the door to depression, frustration, and anxiety.  When our altitude is no higher than the aging process, we cheat ourselves out of so many blessings.

I am learning through the “wearing out” process to rely more on God than ever before.  When I feel myself getting weaker and less self-reliant, I find myself closer to God.  When I start feeling sorry for myself, I relocate my memory folder and remember all the blessings that I have experienced.  Seeing a blessing, receiving a blessing, sharing a blessing, anticipating a blessing, and being a blessing overshadow all my present-day limitations.  The mental and physical problems that greet me every day can be used as stepping stones to new adventures.  Instead of being under the circumstances, I am learning to turn those circumstances into positive experiences.  I am discovering the Biblical principle of “seeking and finding” (Matthew 7:7).  I am daring to find new and attainable goals.  I am learning to reach up and take God’s hand as He leads me toward the Promised Land.  Some of the greatest blessings lie before the finish line!

If there is ever a time we need to set our affections and desires on the Heavenly realm, it is now.  As we approach the finish line, let us enjoy the sights and sounds along the way.  Always remember that until the Lord calls our number, we have a life to live.  Even though our physical and mental limitations are impaired, we still have something to do and offer.