Friday, September 4, 2015

A Future

I was sitting in the McDonald's across from Adventureland this morning enjoying an Egg McMuffin and reading the news on my tablet when an 'old lady' walked over with her tray and a very large bag and sat down at the counter in front of the fish tanks. (Yes, they have fish tanks at the Adventureland Mc Donald's.) I was situated behind her and I could see what she was doing. She sat her tray down first and then she proceeded to unload her bag. She pulled out a book stand, an old style spiral bound writing tablet and a pen and then she reached into the bag and pulled out a very large black book and put it on the book stand. It was a Bible. As she alternately took sips of her coffee and orange juice, she would flip through the Bible and make notes in the writing tablet. She obviously knew her way around her Bible. She had an edition that offered no commentary and did not seem to have any cross referencing or even a concordance. That's when it became obvious to me that she was preparing some sort of lesson and she was totally absorbed in the task as if she were all alone in the restaurant studying. I was impressed. She was obviously searching the scriptures for the truths that were there so she could be ready to share.

I do not know how old she was, but by her appearance, I would put her at 80+ years.

I remember thinking to myself, if I live to be 80, will I be doing something like that?

Ya know, I hope so.

We should all be prepared to give an answer to those that want to know about our faith. We should all be able to flip through God's Word and be able to connect it's consistent truths as seamlessly as possible. Beyond all that though, I would still like to be teaching and sharing and generating discussion among Christians of like mind when I am very old. I would like to die on a Sunday afternoon after giving the best lesson of my life. That would be perfect.

Lord, if I can choose, that's the way I want it to go down. OK?

Ya, I know. You don't get to choose. It would be nice to have a good finish though.

"So did you talk to the old lady Ghog?", you ask.

Well no, and I regret not doing so. She might have been a whole bundle of wisdom. I might have asked if she understood what she was reading and then a lengthy and scholarly discussion might have ensued.

It also occurs to me now that she might have been totally bonkers with dementia and her note pad might have been full of nonsense.

Ghog: "Old Lady, do you understand what you are reading?"

Old Lady: "Yes, for it is written,"Blessed are the Cheesemakers of Ephesus for the divine Paraclete of Zion will shine on them with the fury of 7 suns and the ass will lay down with the behemoth and they will be for naught for the Holy One of Israel will curse them with a thousand locust infestations.""

This is not what I want to be like when I am 80.

Lord, I know you can prevent that. Please make it so. I would like to be sharp as a tack on my last day and have my wits about me when I go home. I know that Mick Jagger says, "You can't always get what You Want' and they will probably play that at my funeral (or maybe "Can't get no Satisfaction"), but it would be nice not to be totally bonkers on my death bed. I'm sure it would be entertaining for some and friends would have a good laugh at my expense while wondering when I will be dead. I just want to be able to snap back with something snotty and sarcastic. You gave me that gift and I would like to be able to use it effectively to the end. So if you would, give it some thought. Be creative. I know I will be. The future is full of possibilities.