"A PERSPECTIVE ON AGING - THOUGHTS ABOUT SENIOR MOMENTS"

This coming Sunday, May 4, is Senior Adults Day throughout the Southern Baptist Convention. Up to now, I've always celebrated it as someone honoring those older than me. This year, I will celebrate it as one of those being honored.

I have arrived. I turned 55 this year. Double nickels. Or, as my son so aptly put it, the same as an the speed limit on any old two-lane road.

When does one actually become a "senior citizen"?

You can join AARP at age 50. (Yes, I'm a member.) You can begin drawing Social Security at 62. Medicare at 65. Am I a senior citizen? Not quite. How about "senior citizen in training" or "senior citizen apprentice"?

Does "getting older" bother me? Not really. In fact, it sounds good to me. Yeah ... I'm ready for those things that come with age ... discounts, grandchildren, etc.

Tuesday I attended our Baptist Association's annual Senior Adults BBQ in Lonoke. This fall, I will be attending a Senior Adults Rally in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, with several senior adults from our church and other churches. As George Burns used to say (if you have to ask who he was, you're way under 55), "Growing older is only a matter of mind ... if you don't mind, it doesn't matter!"

Two songs come to mind to make the senior years joyful:

"Jesus Loves Me" (Senior Adults Version)

Jesus loves me, this I know, Though my hair is white as snow.

Though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him.

Chorus: I love Jesus, does he know? Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day.

Though I am no longer young, I have much which He's begun.Let me serve Christ with a smile, Go with others the extra mile.

Chorus: I love Jesus, does he know? Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day.

When my work on earth is done, And life's victories have been won.He will take me home above, Then I'll understand His love.

Chorus: I love Jesus, does he know? Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day.

"Young at Heart" (as sung by Frank Sinatra)

Fairy tales can come true, it can happen to you ... If you're young at heart.

For it's hard, you will find, to be narrow of mind If you're young at heart.

You can go to extremes with impossible schemes. You can laugh when your dreams fall apart at the seams.

And life gets more exciting with each passing day. And love is either in your heart, or on it's way.

Don't you know that it's worth every treasure on earth To be young at heart.

For as rich as you are, it's much better by far To be young at heart.

And if you should survive to 105, Look at all you'll derive out of being alive!
And here is the best part, you have a head start If you are among the very young at heart.

This is just one pastor's (and one senior citizen in training's) opinion.

(Footnote: I guess I had a "senior moment" when I first posted this entry ... I scrambled and left out part of the lyrics to the first song. Oh, well ...)

"A Perspecitive on Freedom of Religion - Thoughts on an "Oprah" Clip"

A clip from The Oprah Winfrey Show has been making the rounds on the internet and e-mail lists lately. You may view it at www.youtube.com/watch?v=JW4LLwkgmqA. In it, Ms. Winfrey comes down pretty hard on those who insist the Christianity is the only way to God (or whatever Ms. Winfrey says you wish to name or not name a deity). Ms. Winfrey asks all people to agree that there are many ways to salvation.

Two thoughts on the "Oprah" clip ...

As Americans, we should be tolerant of those who believe differently than we do. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights guarantee us freedom of (not from) religion. I have never been opposed to Mormons, Jews, Muslims, or any other religious people expressing their views in the public forum. Even non-religious and anti-religion views must be allowed. For example, it would not bother me at our public schools for Mormons to hand out the book of Mormon or Muslims to hand out the Koran or Jews to hand out the Torah or atheists to hand out literature as long as we Christians are able to pass out copies of our Bible. By the same token, I wish that public prayers and "moments of silence" would return to the public classroom ... whether they be Muslim, Mormon, Jewish, Baptist, Methodist, "moments of silence" for those who are not religious, or whatever. And, I wish that public high school students studied all religions and opposing views. I taught sociology to public high school students for several years at Sparkman, Arkansas. (I have an M.S.E. in education and social studies as well as an M.A.R.E. and D.Min. in religious education and ministry.) We studied the five major social institutions of family, education, economy, government, and, yes ... religion. Most scholars, religious or not, include religion as a social institution. All information and knowledge is valuable. Let the schools teach it. Churches can then seek to teach the wisdom of knowing the truth. At school, I did not endorse Christianity as the only way unless asked privately by a student. At church, I do, of course ... but I still ask Christians (and especially my fellow Baptists) to be tolerant.

However, as Christians, we must be clear that although we are tolerant of other religions and the unreligious, the way of salvation and heaven is through Jesus Christ alone. Scripture is very clear on this: Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). Jesus did not die just for Christians who believe, but for everyone who will believe: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Christianity is the only religion in which the founder came back from the dead. This is both biblical and historical evidence of this.

Unlike "Oprah," I don't do video, but I do audio. For more of my views, you may find them at www.englandfbc.org by clicking on the blue microphone. As an American, I must be tolerant of Ms. Winfrey, no matter how wrong she is. As a Christian, I must pray for her to see the only true Light.

It's great to be an American. I was reminded of this last week while in Washington D.C. (See the attached photos. Especially note the ones of the students placing the wreath at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.) However, it's even greater to be a Christian.

This is just one pastor's (and former public school teacher's) perspective.