Old age? Never!

The prompt for today's post asks how I feel about growing old...

Hmmm... I'm 55 

Some days, with my sore joints I feel every one of those years, and a few more.

But, most of the time I forget

I am simply not aware of how old I am, or how old I feel

I just love my life!

I guess there was a time when I could not have said that

A time when life felt difficult and stressful,

every day was heavy and long

and I was not able to say I was content.

Now?

Now things are difficult

I look at my sons and feel pride welling in all they have achieved 

and the lovely young men they've grown into

I look at the man I love, and feel the joy and reassurance of knowing I'm loved in return. 

I look at my job, and it makes me happy. I am fulfilled and content,

 I have days and weeks that are challenging, richly varied, or incredibly busy.

The list of tasks never seems to be finished,

and yet, in all of that I am convinced I am where I need to be, 

where God wants me, and that's more than enough!

I am so busy, being happy, content, busy, challenged, noisy, quiet, hopeful and loved 

I don't have time to think about how old I am!

On a more practical note... 

I love colour...

And, for as long as I can get away with it...

My hair colour comes out a bottle! 

This is fake Christmas, celebrated November 1st when #2 son and his darling girl were home from Canada 

Remembering

This is the season of remembering

Remembering the fallen

Remembering those left behind

Remembering the causes and reasons 

Seeking peace through violent means

The greater good

The protection of the innocent 

The desire to serve "King and Country"

It is also time to remember the whole host of saints

Those we've loved and lost

Those we of faith hope to see again

We talk of the other country

The heavenly realm

 Eternity 

Using language to bring comfort

To those who have faith, and those who do not

For when the time comes

We have hope

We have memories

We have each other.

This Remembrance Sunday feels more significant

One hundred years

Ten decades since the start of That War...

The one that would be over by Christmas (it wasn't)

The one to End All Wars (it wasn't) 

The one, where warfare changed... 

The inventiveness of men and women

Ways and means of killing changed

The decline of one on one

The rise of mass destruction...

Leading to ... 

Leading to horror.

This Remembrance Sunday 

As we remember

The lives we knew

The names we see immortalised in stone

Let us pause

Let us reflect

Not only on those who died one hundred years ago

But fifty years ago

Ten years ago

Last year

This year

This week....

Let us remember

Let us never forget

That lives changed, devastated, in the name of peace

Are priceless

Family time

Today is November 2nd

It isn't quite my birthday, that comes in two days

But last night I had a birthday party and for the first time on well over a year all my children were together under one roof.

And it was wonderful!

We were joined by half a dozen others, and we had a fun night! 

This morning, I am up early as today (after church!) is Fake Christmas! 

George and Elle (on the right of this picture) will soon return to Canada, to Vancouver, and I'll be back with FaceTime conversations, instead of real life ones! 

I love my sons.

I love that they have grown into lovely young men

That they can socialise with all generations

That they are happy... really happy with their lives

My prayers had always been that they would find what they wanted in life, and for the most part, they have.

One is a gardener

One is a brewer

And one is a musician

And two have found the love of their lives (the third gets prayers for that!) 

I feel so blessed

My family is here

And I am content

Praise the Lord!