How Old is Old?

Maybe you have heard in the news about Margaret Dunning, of Michigan.  She became newsworthy by entering her car in a car show in Canton, Ohio.  What makes it newsworthy is Margaret is 102 years of age and is believed to be the driver license record holder in the United States.  She learned to drive when she was 8 years old, and became the youngest licensed driver at the age of 12 after the death of her father.  Margaret was the only person in her family that knew how to drive and with some string-pulling from the prominent family, she was issued a driver license.

Margaret has several automobiles, currently driving a Cadillac.  Her claim to fame is enhanced greatly with the 1930 Packard Roadster, the car she entered in the car show. She purchased the car in 1949 and completely restored it to original, and brags that she still changes the oil and spark plugs as well as all other maintenance on the car.  She is also well known among local radar cops for all the speeding tickets she has on her traffic record. 

I saw the picture of Margaret sitting on the running board of her 1930 Packard, and spent some time thinking of how much fun it would be to drive a car like that. No doubt she has turned down numerous offers to sell the car.  It's her pride and joy.  So she made the national news, a 102 year old woman driving an 82 year old car.  There are probably not many people you know that are older than the car they drive. 

Stories like this encourage those of us who are in our "senior" years.  When we hear stories like that we wonder if someone like Margaret has the same painful and stiff joints we have.  Surely, she must have led a sheltered life with no major problems or illnesses. I don't know anything from the story about her physical ailments, but she did work hard all her life, never marrying, but quite successful in banking and in retail sales. 

If Margaret were in your home church today, would she be active in the sewing circle?  Would she teach  a ladies class?  Would she busy herself trying to be a good example to the younger women in things about success and purity? Those are questions I cannot answer, but they start me to thinking about the place senior citizens have in most churches. In a time when the emphasis is on young families  we expect the older folks to slow down in their involvement, Margaret is the example of perseverance. Still going strong. Never giving up. 

If you are a younger person, spend some time with the older folks in the church. Learn from their example, their wisdom, and especially their love of the church.  If you are older, determine that you will continue to be a good example to those who are younger. Share your stories with them. Encourage them to keep pressing forward, to be steadfast in the Lord. 

Revelation 2:10, toward the end of the verse says, "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Regardless of our age, that is a promise of God we should all claim. 

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