I’m struggling with being old and considered bereft of wisdom or knowledge that those who are younger value.

I guess I’ve always denied that my way of being in the world is not in step with the majority, so I should not expect very many people to “get” what I have to offer.  I’m in a church that I totally agree with politically. But I also understand the differences in how other Christians respond to the world and Scriptures. The real problem is that almost none of us really “Get” the whole picture.  As long as we see it as “either/or” we will never heal the body of Christ and make a grace filled difference in the world.

My personal weakness may be my strong need to feel like I’m making a difference.

I am losing the small ministries that I’ve had at my church that were what I felt were my God given talents of writing and speaking about God’s presence in our small lives. A few people have affirmed them, but many younger people no longer respect the wisdom of the old. They think we don’t understand the culture and norms of today. Some of us do and some don’t.  It’s like a prejudice against any group; we clump everyone together in our assumptions. (I am also guilty of that!)

Perseverance has never been a virtue of mine, but perhaps I’m supposed to get free of my Extrovert’s need for affirmation. Maybe even my doing things for others has been mostly for that.  But the physical support to others that we are stressing at First Pres, while certainly important,  doesn’t seem to me to be more important than the spiritual. It often is short term, while the Spiritual is forever.

My doctor told me I am very healthy at eighty-seven and may live a lot longer. If I am not productive and making any difference, this does not seem like good news to me!

So, I appreciate prayers for discernment at this point in my life. There’s the possibility of my being part of a ministry to people experiencing or dealing with others who are experiencing dementia. This is something I have dealt with in my family and have supported friends who were and are struggling with. It is a ministry of another denomination that I differ with on some major political issues but am comfortable with their spirituality on this issue.