A Time to Celebrate
I’ve made a discovery, a discovery that I hadn’t expected and really didn’t know it was available to be made. It is an important discovery and explains a lot I had never previously understood.
The catalyst for this discovery was my gradual progress toward my 83rd birthday which is today; I’ve never been 83 before so this is an entirely new experience for me.
What did I Discover?
I have observed others and watched the obvious physical symptoms of aging but really had no idea how much my perceptions of life would change as I aged. These changes were not something I had planned and in fact I had no reason to even expect them but nevertheless they have happened and are continuing to develop.
This has been of great interest to me as I begin to better understand the point of view I had observed in older people and could not really comprehend. When I was a much younger man I was asked by the national homebuilding company for which I worked to evaluate retirement living as a possible area of enterprise.
I joined national organizations, attended meetings and conferences all over the United States and made it a point to visit many retirement homes all over the country.
I was not able to understand how these older people could endure the limited lifestyles offered by even the finest of these facilities. How could they possibly think in such restricted terms? I could imagine them emotionally chafing under the restrictions imposed by their aging bodies.
God’s Grace in Action
What had totally escaped my attention was the fact their perceptions of their situation had changed as their bodies aged. Those in normal physical health for their age were not generally suffering with the increased restrictions imposed by their bodies but were largely at peace with them.
This factor, changed perceptions, has probably been my greatest surprise as I have aged; there are so many things that were important to me as a young man in which I no longer have any interest.
While I had taken no steps to initiate these changes, they have come regardless and now I see them as God’s blessings to His children as they age. I move a little slower these days but I’m at complete peace with that change; I see it as God’s grace in action!
What Does the Future Hold?
One of the many joys of being a Christian is the opportunity provided to simply trust in God for the future. Only the Lord knows how many more years He has planned for me and I am completely content to leave all of that up to Him! I have been blessed, by God’s grace, with reasonably good health and with the aid of dentists, doctors and surgeons have managed to hold it all together to this point.
Only the Lord knows how I will fare both physically and mentally in the remaining years He has appointed to me but I trust Him and have learned to lean on Him for the present and the future.
It is my greatest desire to always be available to my beloved wife to love her and care for her as long as she needs me and I pray to God that He will allow for me to do just that. I comfort myself with the sure knowledge that He loves her even more than I do and will always watch over her regardless of what may happen to me.
Please forgive me if you feel I sound somewhat sentimental in this essay; after all celebrating one’s 83rd birthday should provide certain liberties, don’t you think?
One last thought, another source of joy is the beautiful promise we all have from the Lord in Romans 8:28-30 where it is written:
28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.
davidbowerkingwood 
I love you so much and I love our amazing Lord Jesus Christ for his daily mercies.
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By: Karen Adamson on February 28, 2016
at 8:45 am
Happy Birthday David. Nice commentary on aging.
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By: Kathy Scharer on February 28, 2016
at 10:38 am
Happy Birthday, David! Here’s to changing perceptions and God’s plan! I remember as my mother approached 90, that she became blissfully unaware of certain aspects of her physical condition. I was grateful for that and for her beautiful attitude. I also think back on the large quantity of work that I could do in one day as a younger person that might take me a week to do now. I marvel that it usually doesn’t matter. I agree with Karen that our Lord’s daily mercies preserve us! It’s good to reflect on all aspects of our lives as we hit milestones! To Him be the glory!
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By: donnalhawes on February 28, 2016
at 1:43 pm
Happy birthday. May God bless you for many years to come, you do not look your age. Your strong faith in Jesus, your activity as a hard working man physically and mentally are the secrets behind your look younger than your age.
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By: Hanna on February 28, 2016
at 1:49 pm
Happy Birthday David!! Loved your commentary on perspectives. It was challenging, that is it set my mind to work, as your writing consistently does. Also it brought glory to our Great God, another constant in your commentary. Thank you so much for taking the time and effort to share.
It is a joy and a blessing to know and love you and Adele!! Elaine
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By: Elaine on February 28, 2016
at 2:34 pm
Happy Birthday, David! You and Adele are such a treasure and a joy. I am so grateful for the God centered teaching y’all have provided us through the years and always enjoy your blog which continues to guide us closer to really knowing our God. Thank you for sharing your Gift with us.
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By: Marie Duncan on February 28, 2016
at 2:52 pm
So very nice! Blessings from SC…
Sent from my iPhone
>
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By: Susan Oren on February 29, 2016
at 8:10 am
Happy Belated Birthday, David! One change I’ve notice in aging is that you aren’t always on time with these things. May God richly bless you in the year ahead!
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By: Anne Tanner on February 29, 2016
at 1:39 pm
Happy birthday. May God bless you more and more. Your faith and sharing this faith with others through your profound article is the secret behind not looking your age.
Hanna Awwad
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By: Hanna Mahfuz on June 6, 2016
at 8:47 am
Hanna,
Thank you for your kind words! May the Lord bless and protect you there in Jerusalem!
David
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By: davidbowerkingwood on June 6, 2016
at 9:22 am
[…] signals that some things are beginning to wear out or slow down and as I’ve mentioned in A Surprising Discovery my perceptions and priorities are continuing to change […]
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By: 85 and Counting! | davidbowerkingwood on April 27, 2018
at 6:32 am
[…] the world and life in the world is undergoing sweeping changes. I have mentioned before in “A Surprising Discovery,” how my perceptions of life were being changed by age; while the essay was written just over […]
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By: The View from the Top | davidbowerkingwood on July 6, 2018
at 7:01 am
[…] February 28, 2016 I published an essay, “A Surprising Discovery.” In this essay I commented on the unexpected discoveries I was making about life as I grew older. […]
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By: The Elephant in the Room | davidbowerkingwood on September 26, 2019
at 6:42 am
[…] began to more frequently flick through my thoughts. As I’ve written before in “A Surprising Discovery,” I really had no idea how much age would impact my life and my perceptions of […]
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By: God’s Grace Never Fails! | davidbowerkingwood on December 19, 2020
at 7:20 am
[…] In my own, very finite, mortal life of 89 years, I have observed the changes in my perception of life and time which have developed over the years. I have written more on this in an essay “A Surprising Discovery.“ […]
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By: How Much Time do You Have Left? | davidbowerkingwood on May 23, 2022
at 5:04 am
[…] attitudes and perceptions were also changing as the years passed by. I wrote on this in, “A Surprising Discovery” and viewed these changes as a gift from God! In his grace, God has permitted his aging […]
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By: Finding Meaning and Significance for Your Life | davidbowerkingwood on June 30, 2023
at 5:12 am