Getting Old Ain’t for Sissies

Prayer – Lord, thank you for another good year. Please continue to bless me, my wonderful family, dear friends and the great neighbors whom You have provided for me. I’m sorry, Lord, for my selfish feelings. Life—even on my birthday—is not all about me. It is about You. 

So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:11

 

Meditate. Consider your relationship with God and with friends.

 

I have been so blessed during this past year with new friendships and have managed to maintain relationships with old friends and family. Earlier this week I was bemoaning that today would be my birthday and I’m not getting together with any friends—poor me. Oh my! I am surrounded by almost all my family--even some from almost 3,000 miles away. We live in such a privileged nation and God has so richly provided my husband and me with a comfortable home, everything we need…and want, including such a variety of foods. We certainly are not going hungry! But sometimes we crave spiritual food—and well as just our next meal. Having a good relationship with God is the key to our spiritual health. I’d learned years ago that a good relationship with the Lord begins not only with daily prayer time, but with an intentional time of scripture study and putting God’s teachings into practice. I like what John wrote in his second epistle.

I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning. I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:5-9

This was a good reminder to me…to love others. That’s one of the biggies that Jesus taught. Love God. Love others. 

The Tree of Life
Another year older...experience Christ's love.
Let your roots grow down into God's love.
Be strong - understand His love.

Another year older. It happens every year to all of us. Getting old is not for the weak hearted—it isn’t even an easy thing for those who are strong. We all are going to die sometime…and our bodies do to wear out—so enjoy life to the fullest. God has blessed us—seek to build your relationship with Him.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God's love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:14-19

Comments? 

Verse of Salvation ~ For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2

 

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Anyone in your family allergic to eggs, milk or gluten? For a special occasion—like a birthday or end of school year celebration—try this Wacky Cake. Yum! It was good for all of the food intolerances in our family. One cake for all! And an eight-year old made it! Way to go Julia!

 

Wacky Cake

3 cups gluten free flour

1½ to 2 cups cane sugar (I used 1½ because I just ran out! and it was sweet enough)

2 tsp baking soda

½ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

¾ cup vegetable oil (I mixed olive and avocado oils)

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 cups cold water

 

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9x13 ungreased glass cake pan, mix dry ingredients well. Make three wells or depressions in the dry mixture. Into one well, pour the oil; the second well, pour the vinegar, and the third well, the vanilla. Pour the cold water over all and mix well using a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the cake pan.

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 30-40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

 

Frost or top as desired with whipped cream, cool whip, fresh ground peanut butter, freshly sliced strawberries, or ice cream. Enjoy! Repeat recipe as necessary to satisfy your family’s craving for a moist chocolate cake.

 

Happy Birthday Blessings to this Old Lady who sits pecking away at her keyboard.

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com

 

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