The last of my sixties

 The Last of the Sixties...Bring on the Seventies

I am thinking of my last few hours of life in my sixties (it concludes at midnight). By any standard, I am solidly a senior citizen and will continue to be for as long as I am breathing air. There are loads of pithy quips and quotes about age and the aging process that I mostly ignore. I have this moment, today...nothing more, nothing less. I am good with that.

I had a very delightful breakfast yesterday with two of my favorite young men...Jordan and Cody Gentes. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I forgot about my hearing aid follow-up appointment at Costco. I talked right through it. How appropriate is that? Most of the conversation was about choices and decision for them in the days, months and years ahead. Cody is twenty-four, and Jordan is a brand new father...what a terrific time in their lives. In a nutshell, my encouragement to them was to get out of the kiddie pool and go for the deep end...jump in over your head. It is where you really learn to swim...because you have to. As I look back, much of my life had been lived in waters that were over my head, but I survived.

I don't see my self as a great risk taker, and certainly not as adventuresome as my wife, who paddle boarded several miles down the Salt River on her 70th birthday. I have taken life as it has come to me...stepping out in new territories and with new experiences. I have been blessed to have traveled the world doing what I love most...ministry. I have, over the years, accumulated the absolute best friends a person could ever hope to know, and I can go back anywhere I have been and folks seem to enjoy seeing me again. I am still walking out my life as a disciple of my KING...Jesus Christ. I am loyal. I don't like much pomp and circumstance. I prefer the simple ways and the rural lifestyle. I am, and always have been, a cowboy at heart. There are few things l'll bleed for but if you cross them, be ready for a fight.

I told my longtime friend, Kyle, just yesterday...I am not afraid to die, yet neither am I anxious for the experience. Strumming my guitar and singing a few good songs is comforting to me beyond reason. Being retired is not boring, and with any kind of "luck" I'll finish my novel before I expire. That's about it....bring on the SEVENTIES.