Don Paul Morgan was an expert on growing older.
Notice that I said “growing older” and not “growing old.” There’s a difference. The first you can do joyfully. The second people do sadly. Don Paul grew older, but he never “got old.”
Physically, Don Paul was 80 years old when he passed away last week. Spiritually, he was a lot younger. And I don’t mean because of the physical and emotional challenges which tended to limit his body and mind. Spiritually, he wasn’t limited ... he challenged me and everyone he met.
Don Paul challenged us to be happy. Every last Wednesday of each month when we gathered to worship with the folks at England Manor, he challenged us. I can still hear his laughter as he challenged us to sing the old Southern Gospel songs that many of the “younger” folks weren’t too familiar with. (Don Paul, with a big smile, would yell out: “Sing ‘On the Jericho Road!’ Sing ‘He Bore It All! Ha! Ha! Ha!” I’d have to remind him every time with my own smile that it was “one to a customer.”)
I will add Don Paul’s philosophy about aging to some other great philosophers of our age. George Burns, the comedian/actor who lived to be 100, once said, “Growing old is just a matter of mind ... if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!” “Grandpa” Jones, the country singer who lived to be 85, once said, “I want to live to be 112 and then shot dead by a jealous husband!” Don Paul Morgan, the resident comedian at England Manor, said often, “Ha! Ha! Ha!” ... maybe not as witty as George Burns or “Grandpa” Jones, but as joyfully as anyone can be. How could he have such joy when we consider his lot in life? He could have such joy because he did not let “his lot in life” bother him.
Even though I grieve at Don Paul’s passing, I find this hope: Because he had committed his life to Christ at an early age (and subsequently became a member of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church here in England), someday in heaven I’ll hear him say again: “Sing ‘On the Jericho Road!’ Sing ‘He Bore It All!’ Ha! Ha! Ha!” I know he’s singing there now ... no limitations, no wheel chair. But, those things never bothered Don Paul anyway. And those things shouldn't bother us, either.
I hope I grow older as well as Don Paul did and not just “grow old” as some other people I know who don’t even live at England Manor.
This is just one pastor’s perspective.
Rick Hyde
Notice that I said “growing older” and not “growing old.” There’s a difference. The first you can do joyfully. The second people do sadly. Don Paul grew older, but he never “got old.”
Physically, Don Paul was 80 years old when he passed away last week. Spiritually, he was a lot younger. And I don’t mean because of the physical and emotional challenges which tended to limit his body and mind. Spiritually, he wasn’t limited ... he challenged me and everyone he met.
Don Paul challenged us to be happy. Every last Wednesday of each month when we gathered to worship with the folks at England Manor, he challenged us. I can still hear his laughter as he challenged us to sing the old Southern Gospel songs that many of the “younger” folks weren’t too familiar with. (Don Paul, with a big smile, would yell out: “Sing ‘On the Jericho Road!’ Sing ‘He Bore It All! Ha! Ha! Ha!” I’d have to remind him every time with my own smile that it was “one to a customer.”)
I will add Don Paul’s philosophy about aging to some other great philosophers of our age. George Burns, the comedian/actor who lived to be 100, once said, “Growing old is just a matter of mind ... if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter!” “Grandpa” Jones, the country singer who lived to be 85, once said, “I want to live to be 112 and then shot dead by a jealous husband!” Don Paul Morgan, the resident comedian at England Manor, said often, “Ha! Ha! Ha!” ... maybe not as witty as George Burns or “Grandpa” Jones, but as joyfully as anyone can be. How could he have such joy when we consider his lot in life? He could have such joy because he did not let “his lot in life” bother him.
Even though I grieve at Don Paul’s passing, I find this hope: Because he had committed his life to Christ at an early age (and subsequently became a member of Landmark Missionary Baptist Church here in England), someday in heaven I’ll hear him say again: “Sing ‘On the Jericho Road!’ Sing ‘He Bore It All!’ Ha! Ha! Ha!” I know he’s singing there now ... no limitations, no wheel chair. But, those things never bothered Don Paul anyway. And those things shouldn't bother us, either.
I hope I grow older as well as Don Paul did and not just “grow old” as some other people I know who don’t even live at England Manor.
This is just one pastor’s perspective.
Rick Hyde
First published in the "England Democrat."
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