Weekly Thought > Personal Growth > Staying in the Loop

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Staying in the Loop

The Apostle Paul had an excellent formula for we who are aging when he said, "I am ready to go but happy to stay if I can be useful." That is my paraphrase!

Another wise person said, "service is the rent we pay for our space on earth." Certainly usefulness is an important ingredient in my will to live. Confined to bed, I must depend on others helping me to be helpful. The website has become a valued activity both in reading the emails and answering the questions. I take these seriously. Also, the Saturday morning open house designed for friends to spend a couple of hours in delightful conversation is a tremendous forum for productivity. Recent conversations have covered the nature of man, the place of emotion in our spiritual experiences, ritual versus reality and skills of discernment.

Then there are individuals such as Zig Ziglar coming and phoning while we discuss material for his speeches and books. He kiddingly says that if I ever forget what I have said then I just need to thumb through his books! Then, Steve Brown (KeyLife Ministries) will call and encourage me to stay alive so that we can continue to develop material together. Individuals come asking my thinking on business enterprises and problems, career changes and ministry. A few who are depressed come referred by friends who think my counsel is authenticated by my physical condition.

Jack Modesett. Jr. calls and comes to discuss our mutual business and ministry responsibilities. Having moved from a power figure to a wisdom figure our three children will occasionally will come for discussion on a current topic in their lives. Of course, I continue mentoring the high achievers. None of this would be possible without their involving me, rather my initiating. My responsibility is to think as clearly as I can about their interest, and not mine. I view myself as their consultant and work hard to be profitable to them. For all of this I am deeply grateful.

This week think about: 1) who keeps me in the loop 2) where is my opportunity to keep another involved? 3) What should I be developing that will enable me to age well?