“If You Take Me Anywhere, Darling, Take Me Seriously”
Can’t you imagine these words rolling off the painted red lips of Lauren Bacall, the beautiful actress from the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1940s? In my mind, Ms. Bacall is impeccably dressed in a beautifully tailored suit with thick shoulder pads and a straight skirt landing right past her knees. As I listen in my imagination, that famous deep husky voice of hers makes every syllable of this quote sound memorable.
Let’s face it. No matter how old we get, we will always want to be taken seriously—to be seen and listened to. The more years I add to my dash—you know, that time between our birth date and our going to heaven date—the more crucial it seems to me. I want to be respected as someone with something valuable to do, say or share no matter my wrinkles, arthritis, or gray hair.
In my retirement years with my career packed away in the past, my resume seems to grow colder and more outdated by the day. If you’ve left the work force, you know that we can begin to feel like we’re irrelevant, or slightly invisible. Nothing more frustrating than feeling we’re seen as individuals with no opinions, thoughts, or ideas worth discussing, much less implementing. Somehow, without a title or a paycheck to validate who we are, we can begin to wonder what’s next?
I don’t know about you, but I didn’t give up my dreams, change my passion and purpose, or quit living a big life just because I said good-bye to 12-hour workdays and hello to senior discounts and afternoon movie matinees. My Baby Boomer generation demanded that we have personal mission statements and manage our time efficiently. That was so we could have —satisfying careers, time with our families, and as many meaningful personal enjoyment pursuits as we could squeeze into our 24-hour days. I’m grateful that somewhere on the way to retirement I was reminded that God’s promises, plans and purposes for us are far more enduring than anything else in our lives. Our careers, our active parenting years with our children at home, and even some of the sports and activities we enjoy are designed for particular seasons of our lives.
Praise God that as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe and all things within it, His long-range vision for our lives is radically different. In God’s economy, as His dearly beloved children, we retain our significance forever. We are remembered by God even during those times when we might struggle with our own individual mobility, vision, hearing, and memory. We read in Isaiah 49: 15-16: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” How can any of us doubt our relevance when scripture reminds us that we’re engraved on God’s palms?!
If we live long enough, we all eventually have a homestretch season. Living out the heart of Taking Grace Home is making our last leg of our journey to glory the best it can be no matter what comes our way. God’s promises remind us that His grace is good for the long haul, or it’s not grace at all. The walk home isn’t an afterthought that gets throw in at the end of our lives. With God planning every season of our lives, we can trust that our homestretch can be as joyful as the times we fell in love, had our babies, raised our children, and enjoyed successful careers.
Here’s the truth about the meaning of taking grace home…we are never finished until we get home. This finishing strong is the art of keeping on keeping on until we’re back home with the Father. Taking grace home is never letting grace go. It is holding on tight in the middle of crisis, chaos, challenges, and in all circumstances. It is staying involved and continuing to live productive lives even within the constraints we might find around us.
Especially as we face the challenges of our senior years, we can live in God’s presence every day. We can walk in faith and trust God’s promises even when things become seemingly impossible. It is God’s guarantee that we have worth throughout our life span. Together we need to remind ourselves that life is NOT just a series of events to live through or hard times to get over. It is rather a journey through which to walk, live, and do our best—whether others recognize us or not.
Here’s the best part of being on the homestretch. We can encourage each other and be kind and brave as we travel home. Why not help one another find our purpose and our place of service in our homestretch? Here’s an idea worth considering. What if we start a full-blown movement that says to the world: “Here we are, don’t ignore us! God put us here and we’re ready to serve until the very end. We’re creative, able, and ready to do more in life. So let us! Listen to our stories and ideas. They’re good ones!”
Now join me as I repeat in my best raspy Bacall impression: “If you take me anywhere, take me seriously…even as I crawl, walk, run, wheel, scoot, or dance all the way to the finish line!”
Galatians 6:9-10…“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”
YOUR TURN:
How do you want to be taken seriously? What ideas of yours would you like to see come to pass in your homestretch? It’s exciting for me and the other readers to hear from you. Please leave your thoughts and comments below. I appreciate your efforts in sharing with the rest of us!
Linda, I love your thoughts. So honest and like life – serious and humorous at times. I was reminded of a gentleman that Bill and loved so much and his words at his retirement. He asked the question, “Do you know the difference between ‘Who’s Who’ and ‘Who’s he?'” Of course, we bit, then he answered, “About 3 weeks.” That stuck with me. But he was thinking only in human terms, not in eternal values. Thanks for the reminder of the importance of finishing well.
Phyllis–I love the short story you shared. Not sure it takes even three weeks before we’re deemed obsolete. However, praise the Lord that we’re never “has beens” but always His beloved children. In retrospect, after I hit post it occurred to me that my younger readers might not even know who Lauren Bacall is—her three weeks were up a long time ago. LOL!
Linda, you have captured every feeling I’ve had since my retirement! And, yes, I’m trying to find me! I do want to be exactly as you spoke about in this blog!!!! Kudos!!! I love it!!!
Karen–I appreciate your comments. Kudos right back at you for your “let’s do this!” attitude. I know the Lord has wonderful things planned for your homestretch. I can’t wait to hear about your adventures!
I have a hard time relating to this blog. My Mom died at 95, stayed active until she was 94. She actually was still selling Mary Kaye when she had to move to assisted living. So to me retirement is not even around the corner. I am busier now than I ever have been.
I am not bothered by whether my opinion is valued or not. I plant seeds and someday those seeds will make sense. I tell people what God wants me to tell them. Yet like many who did the same even during Biblical times, it goes unheeded. Yet I am doing what God wants me to do. Noah did what he needed to do. He never allowed the being made fun of deter him from what God told him to do.
We are about to have a major world transition and it is going to be one the best times to ever alive. Yet there will extremely rough times before the transition.
I am valued, because God values me. I am here unti he decides to take me to be with him. My job is to know what he wants me to do now, this very day. Even if your in assisted living or wherever, you still will have things God wants you to do.
Yet on the other hand, I do have people who do value me. Maybe not always my opinion, but my actions.
I am greatly appreciated at work and people let me know it.
Life is filled with transitions. All are an adventure either to be enjoyed and or to challenge us to grow. We never stop growing.
Every one has an opinion, and we all needed to be valued. Yet on earth humans can not value us as well as God does.
Mary R.–Thank you for your comments. I’m glad your experience in the homestretch has been such a productive one. Finding God’s will for our lives at every stage of life is hopefully the quest for each of us. I admire that you’ve found the path to your strong finish. You hit the proverbial nail on the head with your last four sentences, especially, “We never stop growing.” That’s the goal of this time of life for all of us. Great insight!
Thank you, Mary. I echo your thoughts exactly. My mother’s example was a negative one, however. She decided that she couldn’t (or wouldn’t) learn anything new and basically gave up living before she went to Heaven at age 90. That will not be me! Every day brings a new adventure with the Lord!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post as well as the comments. In my experience of watching retirees, I have discovered there are two maybe more approaches. One is people who retire to something and those who retire from something. I retired to and have been busier than ever before even wondering how I had time for my career. Each day is a gift from God, a new adventure(for which I am very thankful), and an opportunity to shine and share as Jeff Schreve encourages us to do.
Mary Beth–Great insight about retirement. You are exactly right. It took me a while to reconcile to not working after so many years in ministry. Now, even though I’m on my own, I am busier than ever and know I’m doing what God had planned for me. You and Doug set a great example for all of us. It is your joy in serving the Lord and others that inspires me and the rest of the world.
I loved this blog it is spot on. This blog sort of went along with what I am rolling around in my brain for my Christmas letter to my kids. I always give them my words of wisdom or knowledge I gain from my walk with the Lord for the year.
We know we are spiritual beings living a human experience. So have said this we are eternal beings which means we don’t retire. Our focus changes from 12 hour work days to what does God want me to do now. How can I advance the kingdom mission. Linda, this blog is wonderful. I look forward to reading it. It is such an inspirational treat.
Martha–Your words are so thoughtful. I love the idea of a Christmas letter to one’s family that includes the spiritual truths and wisdom you learned in the last year. What a gift! Thank you for your kind words about the blog itself. They motivate me to want to work even harder.