Edit: This was written 4 months prior to the Homegoing of my beloved spouse of 52 years. A year has passed since the writing. New lessons learned. Every season of life has new challenges, driving me closer to my Savior with deeper understanding of His grace and merc, y, what it means to lean into Him, and fully rely on HIs provision. And yet, I am still His LITTLE child with so much to learn and know and make my reality…..

After reading an inspiring Blog entry by a Framily member I am reminded of my past efforts to similarly put pen to paper so to speak, to give expression to life lessons I feel might be of value to those walking behind me. God knows I have no claim to fame other than I am His child, His LITTLE child, learning the lessons of life, many all too slowly. And now, I find myself in a season of life I am not well prepared to navigate.

Who ever really thinks hard about nearing the end of the path we’ve been trudging? Who ponders what life will be like when circumstances are altered to the degree that everything we have previously known and felt comfortable with is changed? I mean E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. As I reflect, with a lot of time at the moment to do such pondering, I see that I have never been an adult by myself…welcome to the Basic Instruction of Adulting 101. I went from High School to nursing school, directly to Marriage School ( a lifelong educational stint with Certificate of Completion “awarded” at Homegoing of beloved spouse). Each school of higher learning presented new and greater challenges. And to be honest up to this point in time, it’s a toss up which educational enrollment, Marriage School, or Parenting Preparedness/ Parental Preservation/ Post Parenting Littles, presented the most challenging assignments.

Now I can tell you this last course “The Graduate Course” is by far the one with the most intense and difficult exercises yet. The finish line, however far away in real time that might be, is just beyond the light at the end of the tunnel. Not to be morbid, just “real”. In one breath, just passing my 72nd birthday I declare I am strongly opposed to growing up and plan to be young in my mind for a very long time. And in the next breath I am confessing I am old, and don’t understand my world anymore, much less manage to walk that path uprightly and in a straight line . No wonder I find myself so often exhausted at the end of the day…It must take great energy to flip flop back and forth between that ageless span to aged, and back again. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

The bottom line to all this is, “life is about choices” (Thank you dear daughter for ongoing reminders in my head, when I forget ) . I can choose to dwell on the sadness, the devil makes sure there is plenty of it in life to fuel that fire, and to hurry us to the conclusion that somehow in this Life, as redeemed children of God, we are not included in God’s promises of grace or His goodness. The enemy of our souls would have us believe we are cheated out of the “good” things in life, God really doesn’t have control…the list will go on as long as I allow it to fester. There is never an end to what is sad, uncomfortable, painful, unpleasant, and on and on. But God… In those 2 words are found the greatest source of all we truly need. There are plenty of verses to instruct our hearts and minds in Scripture concerning our perceived state of affairs, and God’s truth.

One of the most useful lessons I have learned in this life, God is interested in, and desires our praise and gratitude. He has a plan and a purpose for our life experiences. In a nutshell, what we encounter day by day, amounts to daily classwork for the ongoing completion of assignments meant to equip us with the skills to prepare us for our Eternal job. Praise and gratitude. If not now, when? In this life, we struggle to get past the painful hardships of life on this planet. God instructs, and I paid close attention that day in class…Heb 13:15,16.

Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 
Heb 13:16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 

Chew each phrase well, swallow and digest. The only way I’m ever able to be grateful and praise God in difficult circumstances is by the grace He provides. In my own heart and soul, I’m a born complainer. I can complain with the best of the skilled, readily adding a good whine and tears if I think it’s to my advantage. “therefore” indicates it’s important to read the prior words, to get the context. The gist of the chapter details all the ways God’s chosen people, now to include those for whom the greatest price has been paid, have been provisioned to serve and minister, as His word instructs. Jesus gave His life, sacrificially. We are commissioned to sacrifice as well….our praise and gratitude. And we can only be a success at that by the grace He gives us to do it. To recognize His plan and purpose, His Sovereignty, His trustworthiness, and His truth in which I can have full confidence. For all of that I can sacrificially offer up my praise for who He is, my gratitude for what He has done to make me His own. And as well, continually offer the sacrifices of doing good, and communicating His goodness, pass along to others His good provision to me.

Time marches on. I am compelled to continue daily in the final Course of Life. Only God knows how long it will take me to complete this specially designed Higher Education. Some folks manage to be distinguished in their completion of Advanced Studies and have already graduated to Eternal Glory. I trust I am making sufficient progress to that end. The theme of my walk on this path, Sacrificial Praise with Lips of Thanksgiving. Fall in step and march right along with me, your expressions of praise and gratitude are most welcomed encouragement!