Persevere Dr. Juan Harrison

It came along gradually.  One day my legs didn’t respond when I tried to hoist my carcass up out of the chair.  Visions of Grandpa McCoy flashed by.  It dawned on me that I must be entering that stage of life we joke a lot about, but when the real thing arrives, it’s no joking matter.

I’ve frequently told you that our outlook on life purty much depends on us.  It is what it is.  Now, deal with it.  Nobody wants to hear another whining, moaning keenager; they like being around positive, optimistic, make the best of it type people.  You knew sooner or later, like the battery on your car, that body parts would start wearing out.  Now, how do we adjust to the new reality.  Sometimes there may be a surgical fix or maybe it ends up worse after surgery.  Maybe you decide to just live with it.

So often the legs are the big factor in our mobility.  Sometimes they just start giving out from a lifetime of use.  Maybe now a cane becomes your constant companion.  Could be you have to pick up a walker, with or without tennis balls on the bottom.  You find yourself easing down into a chair.  Maybe you get one that’s motorized and lifts you up.  Maybe you still can use a chair to get out of as you push down on something to lift yourself up.  Gum em when you can’t bite em.

Spiritually, it’s about now that I like to remind us old Believers that our spiritual insurance policy guarantees us of a new body on high.  It might not do us a lot of good right now, but it’s nice to know that’s one policy you can count on.  It can never be cancelled, and the premiums don’t start escalating as we get older.

You hope your teeth last or that you can afford new ones if they all fall out.  Cataracts, glaucoma, and a bunch of new eye ailments remind you you can’t take your vision for granted.  Your hearing starts failing which creates a new communication issue with Mama.  Maybe the motor skills start weakening as it becomes a battle to open half of the jars you used to be able to open.

About now I’m really getting thankful for my taste buds.  I’m thinking if they start going I’m not too sure how much longer I wanna hang around here.  That good cup of coffee or glass of root beer that makes you want to go “aah”; those freshly scrambled eggs, gravy and biscuits, and thick sliced bacon make your tummy go “yum.”

I frequently remind you and me that the key to life is living for others and constantly expressing gratefulness to any and every person, especially Him, for all the good things you still have and all the bad things you don’t.  Paul reminds us life is a marathon, not a sprint.  Victory goes to the person who perseveres.  Don’t let the Devil get you down and take your joy.

By Dr. Juan Harrison