For my Tuesday ancients. I’ve written of you before, but today you caught my heart again. I love you all!
I ate with the ancients today.
Now before anyone takes offense, you need to know that by my calling them “ancient,” I do so in the spirit of Hebrews 11:2.
Ancient. Presbuteros meaning “elder; of age; the elder of two people; advanced in life; a senior.”[i] And in the context of the scripture, an elder bearing the witness of a life built on the solid foundation of faith.
Yep. Those are my ancients—women seasoned with the grey and the wisdom of walking a long life with Jesus. We are in our fifth year of “doing lunch” on Tuesdays. We began gathering upon my family’s arrival to this community, and rarely have we missed a week in that time.
I seek them out wherever I go. The ancients. I suppose it won’t be long until others might consider me as one of theirs. It is a label I will humbly accept, for to be numbered alongside my ancients of today and the pilgrims in Hebrews 11 is, indeed, an honorable tribute.
The pilgrims that gathered today walk deep. On the surface, we may seem a little shallow, for rare is the occasion void of our laughter. We do our fair share of discussing politics, current events, doctor’s visits, and offering up of ideas on how to “fix” the problems in our church. Mostly, I just listen to their thoughts, and I am glad to do so, for they have stored up a lifetime of memories worthy of my pause.
But underlying all of our chatter, there runs a sacred thread of a well-spun truth that anchors us all to the table and keeps us coming back every Tuesday for more.
Faith, and the certainty of things therein.
For all of the changes that flood their current, there are a few things they would voice as certain. Things like…
This life is full of pain.
This life is full of joy.
This life is but a breath.
This life is not the end.
This life is to be celebrated because…
This life is a gift from God.
I bet that you have lived long enough to voice a few of these certainties as your own. It takes awhile to come to some conclusions in these matters. Our youthful immaturity and need for reasoned parameters often prohibits our clarity.
When pain is our present, it’s hard to reason the joy. When life fades to the certainty of death, it’s difficult to vision beyond the grave. And when celebration goes unnoticed—seemingly forgotten and pushed under because the urgent and desperate blankets the party with wet—well, life unwraps more like a tragedy rather than the sacred wrapping of a gracious God.
Indeed, it takes years of well-worn living to reach some conclusions in this matter called faith. My ancients have lived those years.
Some years have authored sad. Since moving here, three of my friends have buried husbands. One of them has buried a son. All of us have walked to the grave on behalf of loved ones—friends, family and one of our own named Maxine. Many have been escorted to the hospital because their bodies have betrayed them. Surgeries and procedures have been their portion. There are tears and remembrances a plenty that speak the witness of such sadness.
Some years have authored joy. Untold numbers of marriages and babies and graduations and birthdays have passed through their hands in our time together. There have been parties, vacations, and family reunions enough to fill a scrapbook the size of heaven. There are pictures and newspaper clippings that speak the witness of such treasured milestones.
My ancients know about years and about the threading the weaves them together. They know Jesus, and they are wild and wonderful and just on the other side of “crazy enough” to believe that He is the one who holds the needle that sews them ever closer to their eternal home.
They walk toward heaven, not from it. And if they harbor any fear in the matter, they keep it from me. Somehow, they realize that their faith, their hope, and their certainty about the season soon to come are needed commodities in a world that suffers from self-centeredness and short-sighted visioning. They’ve lived long enough to get over their bitter, to live with the unanswerable, and to surrender their need for control.
They simply live by faith, and not by sight. And they would all tell you that this is a really good way to live, considering that their temporal vision seems to fade with the passage of time. They have caught the vision of their forever, and that, my friends, is reason enough to lunch with the ancients every Tuesday.
I need to see, and they need to color the sacred canvas of their witness while the brush is yet strong and the paint is still wet. Like the saints of Hebrews 11, theirs is a portrait worthy of the throne room of heaven, and thus I pray this night with tenderness in my heart,
Thank you, Father, for surrounding my life with the ancients on Tuesdays. They breathe the witness of faith unlike any other women with whom I share my life. You knew I needed them, Lord, and with gratitude I accept their influence in my life. Script my heart with the certainty, hope, and faith in the truth of who You are. They are sure of their tomorrow. Let my life breathe with the same measure. And when we all finally reach our home with You in heaven, it sure would be nice to have a Tuesday table with our names on it. Please tell Maxine that we won’t be long in coming. Amen.
[i] http://studylight.org/desk/view.cgi?number=4245
~elaine
I would love to hear about the “ancients” who surround your life. If you don’t have any, find some! They are a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. Shalom.
What a great collection of wisdom you had in that room Elaine! I wish I had known when I was 20 to ask the questions of my grandmothers – the questions I would ask them today if only I could. Blessings, marlene
Our special elderly are VSPs at our church…and I, like you, consider it pure joy when I get to hug them, spend time with them, and most importantly listen to them. “they have stored up a lifetime of memories worthy of my pause”…gave me Jesus bumps b/c in today’s society too often they are overlooked and told to “hurry along”…oh, what a treasure those who do not pause are missing. I have three specific women who have captured my heart, Ms. Virginia, Ms. Imogene, and Ms. Elaine. They’re each our adopted great granny since our families live far away.
Ms. Elaine told me a precious story from when she was a young lady and was at the Grand Opening of Gone with the Wind…cold and windy that night, they were dressed in heavy coats, gloves, and hats…she sat on a kindly gentleman’s shoulders so she could see Clarke Gable (’cause she’s tiny)…afterwards, he let her down, she straightened her coat and turned to say thank you…and he was gone…to this day, she believes he was her “angel unawares!”
I love their love, compassion and lipsticky kisses…none can take their place!
How precious Elaine!!! What honor!
Stop by and visit with me this week… there will be something special waiting for you.
It’s in my Tuesday post! You are in my 2nd numbered group besides
Sharing the Love and Friendship!
God bless you and such great respect for women that deserve it!
My sisters are my ancients but, come to think of it, I’M AN ANCIENT! I’m closer now to the oldest of the generations among us – a position I once thought awful but now embrace as powerful and precious.
Stitchin makes a great point … we don’t know what we don’t know until we realize we don’t or didn’t know it. Thus the ancients in our lives (the ones that now know what we don’t) can spare us a whole lotta trouble.
Be blessed, with hugs …
Kathleen
absolutely precious!
I am blessed to attend a church salted with a few ‘ancients’ who richly bless my heart as well. We have a group called Circle of friends, of which they (and I) are part of. It is a rich blessing to recieve insight and wisdom on parenting and marriage from these wise ‘been there’ ladies!!
Elaine, that was precious! What a sweet tribute to the “ancients” in your life, in all of our lives.
You have a gift with words.
God Bless,
Amy:)
wifeforthejourney:
What a blessing it is to be part of a church with such a wonderful blend of generations! I know the Tuesday lunch bunch has been a great source of joy for you. For me, I have loved knowing the great number of “Golden Anniversary” couples in a church that also has so many weddings going on right now.
Would that all of us “young- marrieds” would get to know the fifty-plus-year couples. Intimacy in relationship is what we all want, but few of us are willing to accept that there is no fast track to Golden Anniversary love.
So thanks to all our “ancient” friends for the way you love Jesus and the way you love my family. I want to grow up to be just like you! Love, Billy
What a precious group of ladies!! And what a priviledge it is to learn from them.
Two weeks ago, our church ladies decided to carpool to the church in town that was simulcasting Beth Moore. Lots of my friends were on vacation, had other obligations, etc. Basically, I was the youngest in the group—I’m not a spring chicken! I wound up driving some of the most delightful 70 and 80 yr old girlfriends ever! We laughed, shared, and I learned from their wisdom!
Lysa T. is coming to speak at a local church in 2 weeks. One of my 80 yr “young” girlfriends called me yesterday and asked if we could carpool again!! Of course!! I wouldn’t miss it for the world.
Love ya,
Susan
Elaine,
It was so cool how you explained the name of your Tuesday group. I so appreciate your writings and the love your pour out to each one of us that comes to read and partake.
Love and peace to you,
Yolanda
Great post as usual!
stop by my blog, you’ve been tagged!
What an incredible bunch of ancients you have found, and what wisdom they have shared. Your blog definitely blessed me.
Love it, Elaine. Love this.
What a beautiful picture of what the “sisterhood” is really all about. In this society that nearly discards the “ancients,” you have reminded me of their great significance in the Kingdom of God. From them there is much to learn…much to understand…and even more to bless.
My hubby and I have a thing we do in our SS class called “Front Porch Wisdom” where we bring in “ancients” to share nuggets of experience with us. And let me tell you…they speak volumes of truth. We “lesser ancients” could learn alot from them. If only we weren’t too busy thinking we know it all.
Great perspective.
Much love,
Lisa 🙂
Hey Elaine,
I have two mentors, maybe three (she agreed, but we haven’t met much), and they are old enough to be my mom’s age or my grandmother’s age maybe. I have been immeasureably blessed by them. One of them is a prayer warrior for sure, and the other was a missionary in the Philippines with her husband for a couple of years-both are such godly women. Titus 2 type women. I also like to go to Beth Moore, Nancy Douglas, Vicki Courtney, Twinkle, Amanda B. and your blog to read posts
(I appreciate the zeal for the Lord-it is inspiring:)
katiegfromtennessee
Please submit this to Guideposts or Reader’s Digest. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful….the text and the “ancients.”
Grace to you ~
get it… a pun. 🙂
I am drawn to them everywhere I’ve lived, everywhere I go – the ancients. If you ask me about one of mine, I’m likely to tell you how I would just like to sit for hours at their feet, letting the wisdom of their words and their years pour over my head like so much oil.
As I sit in the middle of life, I’ve had, of late, the experience of being an ancient to others more youthful, more green. And it is a privilege beyond words.
I call it living out the Titus 2 Principle:
Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. Titus 2:3-4
If I lived closer, I’d be crashing your Tuesday get togethers. :o)
This is just precious. Thanks for sharing. My heart is touched as you’ve reminded me of “ancients” that have touched my life. Blessings.
I agree with Grace! Go for it Girl!
I was raised surrounded by “ancients”, being the product of older parents. I learned wisdom and much more from many wonderful people with hair in shades of gray and white and even blue! My spiritual “mom” is a beautiful southern lady, now in her 60’s, who learned her wisdom, grace, prayer . . . at the feet of her own little silver haired granny.
Blessings from the creek!
In the culture from which I come, our ‘elders’ are very much revered for their age and wisdom. And yes, I have met some beautiful ‘ancients’ in my time and I think it is wonderful that you meet regularly with them. Now that is an enriching experience.
My first job in Canada was with a nursing home for the elderly and I was shocked that families had abandoned their parents there, never paying a visit. I also encountered several ‘cruel’ seniors. It was then I could clearly see that what we fill our hearts with is what will come out when we are ‘disabled’ in some way.
Been thinking a lot about legacy lately. What a great responsibility we have as parents. Anyway, knowing the ‘Hope’ today..thanks, Elaine, for everything..(((HUGS))))
Sita
I know you love and look forward to your Tuesday lunch time with the “ancients”. They are indeed a wonderful group of women. One could learn from their wisdom. One day I see you on that side of the fence with words of wisdom, advice and lots and lots of laughter.
I seem to be surrounded by “ancients” these days as hours are spent visiting at the hospital. Although the women who share my Mom’s room are “new friends”, conversations with them have been sweet. So many are just lonely, and what a difference it makes to look into their eyes and call them by name.
You have a beautiful ministry here. I know these precious ladies share with you “ancient words, long preserved”.
Blessings,
Joy
That is amazing!! It reminds me I need to call my Nana and spend some time with her. I need to surround myself with ancients even though I live far away from my family.
Thanks for sharing!!
What beauty and wisdom represented here! Great reminder to me to “adopt some ancients.”
I’ve really been missing my Grandmas lately, and thinking about how much they both influenced my life with their precious and Godly example. They were as different as night and day, yet each so incredibly special. Had I known how fleeting their time was, I would have certainly slowed down and savored more moments with them — learning from their wisdom, hearing their laughter, hugging their necks…yes, this was a great reminder indeed to adopt an ancient (or two or three).
Blessings,
Tracy
I love that you get this time with your ancients.Where have all the Titus women gone?
I look forward to forming relationship with some of these women when we find a new church.
And one day maybe I will proudly wear the label–Ancient.