1. Focus on enjoying people, not on indulging in or accumulating material things.
OUR PRIORITY MUST BE OUTGOING CONCERN FOR THE GOOD OF PEOPLE. WE COULD HONESTLY EARN AND SELFLESSLY SHARE WEALTH WITH THE NEEDY. INDULGING IS USUALLY SELFISH AND LEADS TO WRONG PRIORITY.
2. Plan to spend whatever you have saved. You deserve to enjoy it and thefew healthy years you have left. Travel if you can afford it. Don't leave anything for your children or loved ones to quarrel about. By leaving anything, you may even cause more trouble when you are gone.
ENJOYING WHAT WE EARNED AND SAVED IS OUR CHOICE ALONE TO MAKE. WE MIGHT CHOOSE TO LEAVE SOMETHING FOR OUR NEEDY CHILDREN. THIS CHOICE IS A MATTER OF CONSCIENCE. WE MAY SET UP A SIMPLE TRUST (NO NEED FOR PROBATE) OR A SIMPLEWILL TO CLARIFY DECISIONS.
3. Live in the here and now, not in the yesterdays and tomorrows. It is only today that you can handle. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may not even happen.
TO AVOID WORRYING AND START LIVING, DALE CARNEGIE ADVISED US TO "LIVE IN DAY-TIGHT COMPARTMENT" - TO FORGET THE DEAD YESTERDAYS AND THE UNBORN TOMORROWS. DALE CARNEGIE LEARNED IT PERHAPS FROM OUR CREATOR WHO SAID, "THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE; REJOICE AND BE HAPPY IN IT". OUR GOD GIVES US A LIMITED LIFETIME AND THEN PARCEL THAT LIFETIME DAY AFTER DAY IN WHICH WE CAN ALSO PLAN FOR TOMORROW USING THE LESSONS WE COULD LEARN FROM YESTERDAYS. AGAIN, THE FOCUS IS ON THE "PRESENT", A GIFT OF NOW FROM OUR CREATOR WHO IS CLOSER - AND KNOWS US WELL - TO US THAN WE ARE TO OURSELVES.
4. Enjoy your grandchildren (if you are blessed with any) but don't be their full time baby sitter. You have no moral obligation to take care of them. Don't have any guilt about refusing to baby sit anyone's kids, includingyour own grandkids. Your parental obligation is to your children. After you have raised them into responsible adults, your duties of child-rearing and babysitting are finished. Let your children raise their own off-springs.(Not to some Filipino Grandparents).
THE BIBLE IS CLEAR ON THIS ONE - A MAN OR WOMAN SHALL LEAVE PARENTS AND BE ONE WITH THE SPOUSE IN A NEW FAMILY UNIT. IT IS CONFUSING TO BEHAVE IN ANYWAY THAT VIOLATES THIS PRINCIPLE.
5. Accept physical weakness, sickness and other physical pains. It is a part of the aging process. Enjoy whatever your health can allow.
ACCEPTING REALITY IS ALWAYS DIFFICULT. IT IS A FACT THAT WE ARE BORN WITH A DESIRE FOR ETERNITY; A DESIRE THAT MUST BE GUIDED BY GOD'S WILL FOR US WHICH WE MUST ACCEPT IN FAITHFUL HUMILITY. I FIND MYSELF UNABLE TO ACCEPT THE REALITY OF AGING AND DYING. IT IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE TO ACCEPT THE TRUTH THAT I AM AGING AND AM GOING TO DIE AT A FUTURE TIME - ALBEIT I DO NOT KNOW EXACTLY WHEN. BY ACCEPTING THE REALITY OF DEATH, GOD DOES NOT FROWN ON MY DESIRE TO STAY HEALTHY AS LONG AS I POSSIBLY CAN ... LIVING LONGER TO CONTINUE LIVING PRODUCTIVELY FOR HIS PURPOSE.
6. Enjoy what you are and what you have right now. Stop working hard for what you do not have. If you do not have them at this time, it's probably too late.
THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE GUIDELINE FOR CONTENTMENT: STOP COMPLAINING, STOP COMPETING, AND STOP COMPARING. THE KEY IS TO ENJOY BEING PRODUCTIVE WITH WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF HAVING AS A GOOD STEWARD OF WEALTH, INFORMATION, RELATIONSHIP, SPIRITUAL GIFT AND TALENTS, AND OF TIME AND HEALTH. NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THE MATERIAL, WE MUST CONTINUE TO MULTIPLY AND SHARE RESOURCES SELFLESSLY WITH OTHERS.
7. Just enjoy your life with your spouse, children, grandchildren and friends. People, who truly love you, love you for yourself, not for what you have. Anyone who loves you for what you have will just give you misery.
TRY TO BE LIGHT TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS. DO NOT CONDEMN THE SELFISH AND THOSE WHO DO YOU WRONG. TRY TO FORGIVE; IN SO DOING, YOU AVOID BEING ENSLAVED BY HATRED AND BAD FEELINGS. TRY IT AND SHOW THE WAY. DOES LIGHT CONDEMN? DOESN'T IT SIMPLY LIGHT THE DARKNESS?
8. Forgive and accept forgiveness. Forgive yourself and others. Enjoy peace of mind and peace of soul.
AGAIN, PEACE IS NOT OUR IDEA. IT IS NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF TROUBLE. IT IS OUR CREATIVELY AND PRODUCTIVELY TURNING OUR POTENTIAL TO REALITY IN LINE WITH GOD'S WILL ... A CONTINUING CHALLENGE FOR US TO DIG DEEPER INTO WHAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US TO SET US FREE AND TO LEAD US TO THE HOPE OF REAL LIFE BEYOND THIS LIFE IN THE NAME OF JESUS.
9. Befriend death. It's a natural part of the life cycle. Don't be afraid of it. Death is the beginning of a new and better life. So, prepare yourself not for death but for a new life with the Almighty.
THIS IS OUR BIG CHALLENGE: TO REHEARSE AND REMEMBER WHAT WE USED TO SEE IN BALL GAMES - JOHN 3:16 - "GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON; THAT WHOSOVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE" IT'S NOT FANATICAL NOR PRETENTIOUS TO TAKE THIS WORD TO HEART BECAUSE IT IS OUR ONLY REAL HOPE FOR THE LIFE THAT JESUS SUFFERED AND DIED FOR.
10. Be at peace with your Creator ...For... He is all you have after you leave this life.
HE IS ALL WE HAVE THEN, NOW AND FOREVER. WE MAY BE ABLE TO GRASP THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE OTHER 9 ITEMS ABOVE WHEN WE SEE AND SAVOR "THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE" IN ITS MOST PRACTICAL INTENT
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