Turning 60 – A Few Thoughts!

I can’t imagine I thought that 50 was growing old or that 60 was close to retirement, but I do have thoughts about life and legacy and how I will live the next 25 years of life. Ernest Becker said, “Man has to feel and believe what he is doing is truly heroic, timeless, and supremely meaningful.” Meaning is not something we stumble across. It is something we build into our life. It is something we build out of our own personal vision, values, loyalties, and experiences.

The word “significance” carries a real punch for me as I turn 60 on July 5. I have had a measure of success, but I realize success is not really the greatest experience in life. Impacting people and leaving an eternal mark on people’s lives is significant. Here are a few things I have learned so far.

1. Surrender your whole life to the Lord Jesus Christ and He will build your life into something that will be surprisingly wonderful and significant.
2. Believe you have a unique calling and a kingdom opportunity, one made just for you. Run after it. Take hold of it and don’t let go.
3. Don’t focus on what you don’t have, on what you can’t do, or on what others are doing. Focus on God’s great grace for your life and what you already have been given.
4. If and when you experience failure, a discouraging set back, or a stupid mistake, face it, forgive it and yourself, get up and go on with life.
5. Whatever happens, never, never, never allow anything to take you away from your commitment to your family. Take care of family first as they are always going to be your best friends. Your future is hidden in your family.
6. When your life is given to a God-cause, nothing is wasted. I will never regret giving my whole life to loving and building Christ’s church and to raising our family in His church. The best people in the world are God’s people!