Purpose in Life

Oprah Winfrey recently had a program on the purpose of life for older people. The guests speaking left me with the impression that they thought life was for navel contemplation and self-indulgence that was wrapped up in pseudo spirituality.

If we look for the purpose of life in ourselves, we will only find emptiness. Only in faithfulness and obedience to Christ can we find fulfillment. The Bible gives us the all that we need to know to find joy, peace and purpose.

In Titus, the Bible gives clear instruction for older adults:

Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Titus 2:2-5 NIV

Amazing Grace

Grace is my catahoula hound dog. I adopted her two years ago, and she is now between 5 and 8 years old. She had a very rough start in life as a bait dog for a dog fighting ring, but is one of the most amazing dogs I have ever owned.

Grace is gentle with children and other dogs. My other dog is deaf, and she acts as an assistance dog for him, letting him know that I am home, or that I am fixing their dinner. She loves to cuddle and is always obedient.

When she first came home she was not housebroken, and had severe separation anxiety (she ate through the door). But she has overcome her problems, and is now a happy well adjusted dog.

Recently she has started doing the most amazing thing. She is taking her toys and arranging them in like groups, even separating the different groups in different locations in the room.

Here she has placed all the long bones together in her kennel.

Then she took all her Nylabone Hercules toys into the other dog’s kennel. She obviously was not happy that I took this picture. I guess I interrupted her plan.

Chew Time

Twice a day my dogs and I have “chew time.” We all cuddle up on the dog bed and the dogs happily chew on their bones while I scratch ears and bellies. I read recently that the act of chewing produces endorphin like substances in dogs, so I thought the activity would be a great bonding experience for our little pack.

So now I have started my equivalent activity; a time at the computer to journal to reduce stress and bond with my readers.

Roots

I need to dye my hair. It has gotten mousy and my roots are showing.

My father once called me his “golden-haired girl.” Today he does not recognize me unless I dye my hair. It is nice to know that he remembers me only as a beautiful young girl, and in his mind, that I have never gotten older.