When I was younger, it drove me crazy to hear people say, “I can’t do what I used to do” as they got older. I felt like they were just getting boring and lazy. I was still young and able to go, go, go and do, do, do and still get up the next morning with no “aches and pains” as they described it. What in the world was wrong with these people?!
THEN……….I began to feel some of that. Couldn’t do as much without getting tired. My body was beginning to ache a little more in the muscles I didn’t use every day. My “go, go, go” and “do, do, do” became GO and DO. I found that I didn’t tolerate things and people the way I used to. My idea of fun changed from wanting to parasail to relaxing on the beach and just WATCHING others parasail.
My dad and I talked about corvettes we wanted and then we realized we would need a crane to help us out of them! I used to tease him and realized I was getting there, too! We laugh when we bend over to tie our shoe and say “what else can we do while we are down here”??!!
Yes it’s true… I can’t do what I used to do. But you know what? It’s okay. I love my life. Now I stop and enjoy a beautiful day. I notice squirrels and birds and butterflies. I enjoy having nothing on my calendar during the week. I love spending weekends with friends eating ice cream and playing dominoes. I love vacationing on the spur of the moment and calling our friends last-minute to go to Texas Roadhouse.
It’s just like our spiritual life. The more we mature in Christ, we find that we can’t do the things we used to do. AND it’s ok! Because our priorities change. We don’t WANT to do the things we used to do. The things we once thought were fun are not fun anymore. We aren’t boring or lazy. We are renewed and full of life.
Sure as we mature both physically and spiritually, we can’t do what we used to do, but who cares. I’m going to just enjoy life right where I am…….just cruising along at a slow speed enjoying the sights and blessings. And in my mind, I’m driving a red ’65 convertible corvette with my dad in the passenger seat! OH………I’m glad I can’t do what I used to do!
