The Secret for Finding the Fountain of Youth
It’s the last day of Spring break and the day my two teenage grandsons and their teenage friend and I are leaving Cabo San Lucas and heading home to Austin. I can’t begin to tell you how many people are in the Cabo airport, but, thankfully, we have an attendant who is helping us move quickly through what seems to be a mile of travelers to get our bags checked in and receive our boarding passes.
After that, he directs us to another winding maze of travelers that seems to go on forever to security. The man in front of us looks at me and says: “You should go in that line (pointing to a roped-off-line with no one in it)! They just took an elderly man through that line in a wheelchair so they’re sure to let other older people through it. I’m not implying you’re old, but why not try?” I look at my boys and they say, “Nana, you’re old. Let’s go!” I’m still laughing about it. My boys love the perks of having an “old” Nana. And, yes, it works well for us. I don’t mind accepting my age at all. Indeed, there are privileges that I guess we, of this prime-time age, have earned! Before long, we are on our plane to our connecting flight in Los Angeles.
AT LAX, knowing we have a 2-1/2 hour layover, we pre-planned to meet up with Jack’s sister and grandparents who live there. We deboard the plane, go through customs without a hitch and are picked up by them. After a great visit, they get us back to the terminal and are about to go through security, when Jack asks: “Do we have a fast-pass to get through the line like we did in Cabo?” Bryson replies: “No. But we have an old Nana!” Lord, have mercy and LOL!
Psalm 92:12 says: “The righteous will flourish like palm trees; they will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the Lord’s Temple, they will flourish in the courtyard of our God. They will still BEAR FRUIT in OLD AGE; they will be luxuriant and green.” “Old” Nana likes thinking and living in that “bearing fruit in old age” part! Thank God there are no age limits to His promises. His Word says “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me ALL the days of my life…” That is my “Maturity Plan” and it’s based on His promises and bearing good fruit for Him AND me!
Some look forward to their rocking chair. Not me! I look forward to new adventures with God AND teenagers! Some live life with one thought in mind — handing over the torch to the younger generation. I look forward to standing beside the younger generation on the front lines of battle and cheering them on while trusting God for renewing my strength daily. Though we continue to “ripen and mature” daily, our inner man is being renewed day by day! The best way to stay young on the inside is staying on the front lines of loving God, loving others and serving this generation with vigor and vitality. By the way, THIS generation is EVERYONE who is still breathing!
I’ve found that hanging out with teenagers is not only great for comic relief, but it’s also like drinking from the Fountain of Youth. They give me a merry heart AND scripture says: “A merry heart is good like a medicine!” (Proverbs 17:22) Actually, reading and taking hold of what God says in His Holy Word is our real Fountain of Youth. In fact, I’m heading to the Fountain for a drink right now!