FOLLOW THE GEEZERS

They like to refer to us as senior citizens, old fogies, geezers, and in some cases dinosaurs. Some of us are "Baby Boomers" getting ready to retire. Others have been retired for some time. We walk a little slower these days and our eyes and hearing are not what they once were. We have worked hard, raised our children, worshipped our God and grown old together. Yes, we are the ones some refer to as being over the hill, and that is probably true. But before writing us off completely, there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration.

In school we studied English, history, math, and science which enabled us to lead America into the technological age. Most of us remember what outhouses were, many of us with firsthand experience. We remember the days of telephone party-lines, 25 cent gasoline, and milk and ice being delivered to our homes. For those of you who don't know what an icebox is, today they are electric and referred to as refrigerators. A few even remember when cars were started with a crank. Yes, we lived those days.

We are probably considered old fashioned and out-dated by many. But there are a few things you need to remember before completely writing us off. We won World War II, fought in Korea and Viet Nam . We can quote The Pledge of Allegiance, and know where to place our hand while doing so. We wore the uniform of our country with pride and lost many friends on the battlefield. We didn't fight for the Socialist States of America ; we fought for the "Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave." We wore different uniforms but carried the same flag. We know the words to the Star Spangled Banner, America ,and America the Beautiful by heart, and you may even see some tears running down our cheeks as we sing. We have lived what many of you have only read in history books and we feel no obligation to apologize to anyone for America .

Yes, we are old and slow these days but rest assured, we have at least one good fight left in us. We have loved this country, fought for it, and died for it, and now we are going to save it. It is our country and nobody is going to take it away from us. We took oaths to defend America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that is an oath we plan to keep. There are those who want to destroy this land we love but, like our founders, there is no way we are going to remain silent.

It was mostly the young people of this nation who elected Obama and the Democratic Congress. You fell for the "Hope and Change" which in reality was nothing but "Hype and Lies." You have tasted socialism and seen evil face to face, and have found you don't like it after all. You make a lot of noise, but most are all too interested in their careers or "Climbing the Social Ladder" to be involved in such mundane things as patriotism and voting. Many of those who fell for the "Great Lie" in 2008 are now having buyer's remorse. With all the education we gave you, you didn't have sense enough to see through the lies and instead drank the 'Kool-Aid.' Now you're paying the price and complaining about it. No jobs, lost mortgages, higher taxes, and less freedom. This is what you voted for and this is what you got. We entrusted you with the Torch of Liberty and you traded it for a paycheck and a fancy house.

Well, don't worry youngsters, the Geezers are here, and in 2012 we are going to take back our nation. We may drive a little slower than you would like but we get where we're going, and in 2012 we're going to the polls by the millions. This land does not belong to the man in the White House nor to the likes of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid. It belongs to "We the People" and "We the People" plan to reclaim our land and our freedom. We hope this time you will do a better job of preserving it and passing it along to our grandchildren.
.....copied Ann Coulter

The WINTER of my life

AND THEN IT WAS WINTER (copied)

       
        You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.  It seems just yesterday that I  was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate.  Yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the  years went.  I know that I lived them all.  I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams here are some pearls.

        But, here it is, the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...How did it get here so fast?  Where did the years go and where did my youth go?  I remember well seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like.

        But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting grey...they move slower and I see an older person now.  Some are in better and some worse shape than I am...but, I see the great change...Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant...but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be.

        And  so...now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!  But, at least I know that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over on this earth...it's not over.  A new adventure will begin!  Yes, I have regrets. There are  things I wish I hadn't done...things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime.

        So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. Whatever you would like to accomplish in your life, please do it quickly!  Don't put things off too long!! Life goes by quickly.  Do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!  You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

        "Life" is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who come after.  Make it a fantastic one.  LIVE IT WELL! ENJOY  TODAY!  DO SOMETHING FUN!  BE HAPPY!  HAVE A GREAT DAY! Remember "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver."  LIVE HAPPY IN 2013!  LASTLY, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: TODAY IS THE OLDEST YOU'VE EVER  BEEN, YET THE YOUNGEST YOU'LL EVER  BE. SO - ENJOY THIS DAY WHILE IT LASTS.

        ~Your kids are becoming you......but your grandchildren are perfect!  ~Going out is good.. Coming home is better!  ~You forget names.... But it's OK because other people forgot they even knew you!!! ~You realize you're never going to be really good at anything.... Especially golf.  ~The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don't care to do them anymore. ~You sleep better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than in bed. It's called "pre-sleep".

        ~You miss the days when everything worked with just an "ON" and "OFF" switch..  ~You tend to use more 4 letter words... "what?"..."when?"... ~Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it's not safe to wear it anywhere.  ~You notice everything they sell in stores is "sleeveless"?!!! ~What used to be freckles are now liver spots.  ~Everybody whispers. ~You have 3 sizes of clothes in your closet....2 of which you will never wear again. ~~~But Old is good in some things:  Old Songs, Old movies, and best of all, OLD FRIENDS!!

SHAKE IT OFF

From the album: Wall Photos

By James H Cook Jr

"JUST SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP ON UP"

Years ago in rural Georgia, there was a farmer who had a mule named Ol’ Clyde. One day Ol’ Clyde fell into a deep dry well and began to cry loudly. Hearing his mule cry, the farmer came over and assessed the situation. The well was deep and knowing that Ol’ Clyde had gained a lot of weight over the years and was heavy, the farmer knew it would be difficult, if not impossible, to lift the animal out.

Because Ol’ Clyde was also old as well as too heavy to lift--and the well was dry--the farmer decided to bury the animal in the well. This way, as folks had to be very practical in those days, the farmer could solve two problems: put the old mule out of his misery and have his well filled at the same time. He called upon his neighbors to help him and they agreed. And off to work they went. Shovel full of dirt after shovel full of dirt began to fall on the mule's back. Ol’ Clyde became hysterical!

Then all of a sudden, an idea came to the brute beast. Each time they would throw a shovel full of dirt on his back he would shake it off and step up. And that’s exactly what he did. Shovel full after shovel full, Ol’ Clyde would shake it off and step up on the new pile of dirt.

At last, exhausted and dirty, but quite alive, the mule stepped up and over the top of the well and walked through the crowd!

How about that for a dumb ol’ mule? But, hey, what a great attitude that would be for you and me. What a great way for us all to approach life. Think about it, the next time you’re in too deep to get out and some folks just keep piling on, “Just shake it off and step on up!”

GOD'S GLUE

I RECIEVED THIS FROM A FRIEND  TODAY. IT IS GOOD. READ IT.

A doctor wrote:

A couple of days ago I was running (I use that term very loosely) on my treadmill, watching a DVD sermon by Louie Giglio...and I was BLOWN AWAY! I want to share what I learned....but I fear not being able to convey it as well as I want. I will share anyway.

 

He (Louie) was talking about how inconceivably BIG our God is...how He spoke the universe into being...how He breathes stars out of His mouth that are huge raging balls of fire...etc. etc. Then He went on to speak of how this star-breathing, universe creating God ALSO knitted our human bodies together with amazing detail and wonder. At this point I am LOVING it (fascinating from a medical standpoint, you know.) .....and I was remembering how I was constantly amazed during medical school as I learned more and more about God's handiwork. I remember so many times thinking....'How can ANYONE deny that a Creator did all of this???'

Louie went on to talk about how we can trust that the God who created all this, also has the power to hold it all together when things seem to be falling apart..how our loving Creator is also our sustainer.

And then I lost my breath.

And it wasn't because I was running my treadmill, either!!!

It was because he started talking about laminin.

I knew about laminin. Here is how Wikipedia describes them:

'Laminins are a family of proteins that are an integral part of the structural scaffolding of basement membranes in almost every animal tissue.' You see....laminins are what hold us together....LITERALLY. They are cell adhesion molecules. They are what holds one cell of our bodies to the next cell.. Without them, we would literally fall apart. And I knew all this already. But what I didn't know is what laminin LOOKED LIKE.

But now I do.

And I have thought about it a thousand times since (already)....

Here is what the structure of laminin looks like...AND THIS IS NOT a 'Christian portrayal' of it....if you look up laminin in any scientific/medical piece of literature, this is what you will see...

 

 

Now tell me that our God is not the coolest!!! Amazing.

The glue that holds us together...ALL of us....is in the shape of the cross. Immediately Colossians 1:15-17 comes to mind.

 

'He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created; things in heaven and on earth , visible and invisible, thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things HOLD TOGETHER. '

Colossians 1:15-17.

Call me crazy. I just think that is very, very, very cool.

Thousands of years before the world knew anything about laminin, Paul penned those words. And now we see that from a very LITERAL standpoint, we are held together...one cell to another....by the cross.

You would never in a quadrillion years convince me that is anything other than the mark of a Creator who knew EXACTLY what laminin 'glue' would look like long before Adam even breathed his first breath!!

" Faith is not knowing what the future holds, 
but knowing who holds the future."

 

GOD'S GRACE

Never Beyond the Reach or Need of the Gospel

from Of First Importance by fredeaton

“Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace, nor are your best days ever so good that you are beyond the need of it.”

- Jerry Bridges, Discipline of Grace (Colorado Springs, Co.: NavPress, 1994), 18

PARENTS WISH

February 19, 2009

 Today is the birthday of our youngest, Jimmy Max “Jim” Youngblood Jr. He is forty three.  Now I’m feeling older.

Carolyn and I along with Virginia and Debbie met him at Top China Buffet in Hoover for lunch.  This was impromtu. We tried to reach Kathy to join us.  We had a great lunch and a good-time together for an hour or more.  For those who do not know, we have four children, Virginia, Kathyrn, Deborah and Jimmy.

 Jimmy went back to work and I rode along with the others as they shopped.  We left the house at ll: 30 AM and returned home about 4:00 PM.  Those kinds of trips make me tired but it was worth it.

 My sister, Sarah Pauline “Polly” Youngblood Klaesen, called me yesterday.  We had a long enjoyable conversation.  If you have an extra car or computer she could sure use both.  She hit a deer with her car and totaled it.  Her computer crashed. 

 She told me that out other sister, Patricia “Pat” Ann Youngblood Gann, had moved in with her daughter Suzanne. She recently had knee surgery.

 A friend sent me a video called “Parents Wish.  It is set to the music of Josh Groban singing “You Raise Me Up”.  Carolyn and I watched it.  We both felt a little sad but grateful for our four children.  Each one of them takes care of us and shows their love in different ways.

 I realized, ‘Hey, that’s me’.  I’ll be seventy-five this year.

Above all I believe that God is in control of all that happens to you and to me. I don’t always understand why things happen as they do or when they do, but with Job I say, “Yea tho’ He slay me, yet will I trust Him."

 Click below:

 http://parentswish.com/site01/big.html

Dadgum, I just clicked on it again to make sure it worked and tears welled up. Sorry bout that.   Max

 

NEED TO BE PROPPED UP?

Every time I am asked to pray, I think of the old deacon who always prayed, 'Lord, prop us up on our leanin' side.' After hearing him pray that prayer many times, someone asked him why he prayed that prayer so fervently.  He answered, 'Well sir, you see, it's like this... I got an old barn out back. It's been there a long time; it's withstood a lot of weather; it's gone through a lot of storms, and it's stood for many years.  It's still standing. But one day I noticed it was leaning to one side a bit.  So I went and got some pine poles and propped it up on its leaning side so it wouldn't fall. Then I got to thinking about that and how much I was like that old barn. I've been around a long time. I've withstood a lot of life's storms. I've withstood a lot  Of bad weather in life, I've withstood a lot of hard times, and I'm still standing too. But I find myself leaning to one side from time to t ime, so I like to ask the Lord to prop us up on our leaning side, 'cause I figure a lot of us get to leaning at times. Sometimes we get to leaning toward anger, leaning toward bitterness, leaning toward hatred, leaning toward cussing, leaning toward a lot of things that we shouldn't . So we need to pray, 'Lord, prop us up on our leaning side, so we willstand straight and tall again, to glorify the Lord.'' ************* This is very cool!

If you stare at this barn for a second you will see who will help us stand straight and tall again.