You Will Have Trouble

Have you heard the good old saying, “If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself”? Well, one of my resolutions for the year is to take better care of myself, if I intend to live even longer than I had expected. I’m now at the age when I thought my grandfather was old and I was ten, but I’m not old, am I? I’m beginning to believe one can tell when they’re getting old by the number of personally monogrammed pill bottles lined up on the kitchen counter and the number of medical appointment cards stuck under refrigerator magnets. Our mortality begins to come into focus and we figure now’s the time to put our best effort into better health. A recent TV commercial stated it well; “I’m so there!” “Matured” adults have new dangers to face as I found out recently. Medications bring out the best and sometimes the worst of an ailing body. My eye doctor prescribed an eye drop medication to help reduce the pressure in my eyes, which over the years has been going up. I’ve never had a bad reaction to any type of medication in my life, until now. It took me a day or two to figure out what was going on, but believe me, those printed papers that come with your prescriptions are a life saver. Don’t just throw them in the trash. It took over two weeks for my body to react adversely toward this medication and I figured out which of my meds was doing it by re-reading the “possible side effects” and comparing them to my symptoms. All and all, I’m learning life doesn’t get any easier. You’ve got to keep on your toes all the time.
A man was speaking to a group of senior men and said, “I have this joke that is so funny it will make your hair fall out – it will just make your hair fall plum out.” Knowing that several of the older gentlemen were partially and completely bald, he scanned the room while giggling loud enough for all to hear, then added, “I see that many of you have already heard the joke, so I’m not going to repeat it.”
The teacher asked the little boy, “If both of your parents were born in 1965, how old would they say they are now?” The young one said, “I suppose that all depends on if you ask my father or my mother.”
Calling the newspaper office, the irate customer loudly demanded, “Where is my Sunday paper?” The employee answered politely, “Ma’am, today is Saturday. The Sunday paper will be delivered tomorrow.” There was quite a long pause on the phone followed by, “I guess that explains why I was the only one at worship this morning”
[John 16:33] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” One thing in life is certain: we all have our share of pain, sorrow, difficulties and suffering. Bad things happen, and they often happen to good people. Age, disease and sickness threaten to destroy health. Family problems threaten to destroy the lives and souls of those we love most dearly. In our states of depression, I’m afraid we find ourselves standing on the wrong side of the fence way too often. We question, “Does God really care?” when we should be examining ourselves by asking, “Do I really believe in God’s promises?” Throughout life’s ups and downs, on the road to forever, am I holding tight to this physical world with its troubles or to the peace and hope found in Christ Jesus? And, am I faithfully looking forward to the day of redemption with gladness? (Romans 8: 18-39)