"I would rather stand in the full glare of the sun and be judged than to find comfort in the safety of the shadows."¬ -Anonymous

Being willing to experience new things, most of which involve some degree of risk, is key to living a significant and vital life. Living a long life is one thing, but living a long life that has made a difference is far better. We all know people who have lived long, miserable lives. But we also know those who have packed in a lot of adventure and meaning into their years. It is the latter who still have sparkles in their eyes and smiles on their faces.

As for me, I have always wanted to live a life of significance and adventure-even though this sometimes means to live life on the edge. Years ago, I came across a saying that I have adopted as part of my personal and ministry philosophy. I am not sure who said it, but it works for me: "I would rather stand in the full glare of the sun and be judged than to find comfort in the safety of the shadows." FULL POST

It's been said that 60 is the new 40. That's because we live healthier lifestyles and are staying more physically fit. You may be taking good care of your body, but are you letting your spiritual life sag?

My husband, Jerry, and I attend a very old Baptist church. The small 100-year-old building is an attractive red brick, but its most stunning features are the magnificent stained-glass windows. Though noticeable from the outside, you cannot truly appreciate their beauty unless you're sitting inside on a sunny morning. The bright light shining through the intricate, colorful designs shows off the artistry in all its glory. And the windows have only grown more beautiful with age. Stained glass, regardless of its age, is at its best when the sun shines through.
Our spiritual lives are much like those windows. We are at our best when the "Son" shines through, and the beauty of a life lived in Christ improves with age. However, it's surprising to find how many older adults have never developed a personal relationship with Christ. Some who were once enthusiastic about the things of God have grown complacent, spiritually tired, jaded, or cynical.
Many boomers got involved in church for the sake of their kids. They wanted them to have a spiritual foundation. Now empty-nesters, they have dropped out of church and moved on to pursue other interests. There is even a diminished interest in church among adults over 65.
One pastor in Florida observed a spiritual retirement mentality among his congregation. He said that many retirees don't get involved in volunteer work because they feel they have not only retired from the workforce, but also from church work. Spiritually, they are coasting and feel it's now the responsibility of the younger members to carry out vital ministry.
You would think as boomers and seniors face their mortality, their thoughts would turn to God and the afterlife. But research does not affirm this. Not only do older churchgoers become complacent about their faith, but the over-50 community is not coming to Christ in the numbers you would expect.
The dramatic decline in conversions among older adults along with spiritual complacency is a real concern to me. At the heart of a truly significant life is a relationship with Jesus Christ.
If you find yourself in midlife or older and have never had a close connection to God, or if you have turned down the burner on your faith, it's never too late to begin or renew that relationship. I love what the apostle Paul wrote near the end of his life, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on . . . forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14 NKJV)
Paul certainly doesn't sound as if he's coasting . . . are you? Are you pressing on and reaching forward? Has your spiritual intensity diminished? It's a good idea to examine ourselves occasionally or even ask those around us what they think about our spiritual growth.
Much like a couple who celebrates 50 or 60 years of marriage, there is a unique beauty in a relationship that has not only gone the distance, but continues to grow through the years. It reminds me of the familiar lyrics to an old song, "The longer I serve Him, the sweeter He grows." It could be the best part of aging.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." -Abraham Lincoln

In 1986, there was a Vietnam Veterans' Memorial Day Parade in Chicago. It lingers in my memory because it was a profound day for the marchers and for those of us who lined the parade route. For the thousands of veterans, who had waited far too long for some gesture of appreciation from an ungrateful nation, it was a catharsis. Tears streamed down the vets' faces, as the crowd cheered, applauded, and yelled their thanks. But they were not the only ones moved to tears that day.
I was watching the parade with our operations manager, a young college graduate in his early thirties. As he watched the marchers, I was surprised to see tears unashamedly streaming down his face, too. While I didn't comment, later he wanted to talk about it. He said that as a college student he was a hippie-complete with long hair and tie-dyed T-shirts. He used drugs and had lots of anger. He was a part of the protest movement that traveled across the country to speak out against the Vietnam War. But as he stood there watching the thousands of men who fought in the war that he had so loudly protested, he experienced a catharsis, too. For the first time in his life, he said, he was experiencing feelings of patriotism and it was a very good feeling.
For me, his response was startling. I couldn't imagine an American not having some sense of patriotism. From my early childhood, I was taught that America was special and that I should be proud of my country. A revered part of our family history was the story of my aunt's brother Lenny, who managed to join the army when only 17. Later, he lost his life on one of the bloody invasion beaches in Europe. The last time I visited my aunt before she went into a healthcare center, his picture and his Purple Heart were proudly displayed in a frame hanging on the wall in her modest living room.
We were all proud of Lenny and the fact that he believed enough in America and what it stood for to want to fight to keep it free.
Sentiment in America in those days was to be proud of our country and openly patriotic. Though we knew our country had its faults, we were nevertheless taught the positive things about America. In school, I read the biographies about great Americans, and their inspirational stories helped shape my character. There was a comfortable balance between church and state, and "In God We Trust" was more than just a phrase on a coin. That is how most of us felt.
Sadly, in the past two or three decades that feeling has changed. There are Americans who only talk about how bad they think we are as a nation and claim that Christianity is detrimental to our culture. But I do not share their sentiment. I have traveled to most of the countries of the world, and after all that travel, I can honestly say that I am still proud to be an American. We have faults and we have made some bad choices, but I believe we are still the best country in which to live. It is interesting to note that one of America's problems is not people trying to get out of the country, but the millions from around the world trying to get in.
As part of the boomer generation, I feel that it is important for me to support my country and help preserve a Christian heritage for my grandchildren and the generations to come.

Jerry Rose, President, TLN

"Complacency makes people fear the unknown, mistrust the untried, and abhor the new. Like water, complacent people follow the easiest course-downhill. They draw false strength from looking back."- Bits & Pieces, May 28, 1992

My husband, Jerry, has always been athletic and adventurous. I'm just not. An adventure for me is finding the best department stores, spas, or tea rooms in a new city. However, I am all about having fun.
Contrary to what many believe, the second half of life is definitely a time to focus on fun and adventure. The kids are grown, the workload is hopefully lighter, and often there is more disposable income. Even if finances are limited, a good imagination and a sense of adventure can mean new and exciting experiences.
I heard a story of a prisoner awaiting execution who was granted the usual "last meal" request. He ordered a large portion of mushrooms. "Why all the mushrooms and nothing else?" inquired the guard. "Well," replied the prisoner, "I always wanted to try them, but was afraid to eat them before!"
Why not live a little adventurously and spend your second half of life enjoying it to the fullest? You may not think fun and adventure have anything to do with significance. Wrong! A balanced life includes work, giving to others, spiritual disciplines, and rest. But it also includes leisure, hobbies, and fun, which can require a certain amount of courage.
My husband, Jerry, grew up in Texas around quarter horses and rodeos. He rekindled his great love of horses when our daughter, Vanessa, was 8-years-old and began taking horseback riding lessons. They had a wonderful time during her growing-up years riding and participating in horse shows. Jerry has continued to ride and today is more active than ever in extreme horsemanship sports.
I, on the other hand, grew up near a large city and was never around horses. I don't like dust, hay, spiders, manure, or much contact with animals too large to pick up and cuddle. However, Jerry and Vanessa had this special time together without me.
As my daughter grew up and had children of her own, her family lived on a small farm with several horses. My granddaughters also loved riding. Jerry was at the farm every weekend playing the cowboy. I realized that if I were going to be an integral part of something my family loved, I needed to learn to ride horses. So at an appalling age (far past my 50th birthday), I began taking horseback-riding lessons. To my amazement, I enjoyed it -until one day when my sweet gelding began to buck and catapulted me into the air. I sustained some significant and painful injuries to my shoulder and knee.
After six weeks of physical therapy and several months of recovery, I did, in fact, begin riding again. I needed to prove to myself I could get back in the saddle. But, eventually, I stopped riding, realizing that it was just not something I loved. I'm still glad I learned it, though, as the rewards were many. I feel comfortable around horses and can go riding with Jerry if I want. I conquered something athletic, which gave me much personal satisfaction. And I don't think anything I've ever done brought me closer to my husband.
But I also learned firsthand that when you plunge into an adventure, there can be risks. We may get hurt, embarrassed, or misunderstood, or fall flat on our faces in failure. Yet that doesn't mean we should give in to complacency. No risk we take is as dangerous as the temptation to sit on the sidelines and do nothing. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)
Even if you've always been cautious, you can cultivate a more adventurous nature. Try something new, and even a bit scary, once a month. Adventure will look different for each person. It could be signing up for a class, learning a new sport, or approaching a stranger at church and introducing yourself. It could be contacting a new acquaintance to schedule a lunch date, joining a gym, or getting a makeover. It's not really about what you do; it's about how you think. Adventure goes hand in hand with courage. And courage is a key ingredient for significance.

Jerry Rose, President of TLN

A few years ago a friend asked me to join him and four others in sailing a sleek 44-foot racing yacht from Ludington, Michigan to Waukegan harbor on the Illinois/Wisconsin border. Being a former U.S. Coast Guardsman and a sailing enthusiast, I immediately said yes! Three days later, my gear was stowed aboard the yacht, and I was ready for the adventure.
Late in the afternoon on the first day out, we eased our way into a quiet tree-lined cove in the harbor of Holland, Michigan. We let out the anchor, dined aboard, spent a couple of hours telling boat stories, and turned in. Throughout the night, the anchor held us steady.
At first light, we "hauled anchor" and began to ease our way out of the narrow cove.
It was delicate work because there were invisible sandbars on each side. Despite our best efforts, the boat suddenly lurched to a stop as we locked tight on a sandbar. After a short conference, we all agreed the best way to get ourselves off the sandbar was to "kedge" off-a nautical term that means using the anchor to pull the boat off a shoal and into deeper water. And this is what we did. Tony, one of the lightest members of the crew, took the anchor in the dinghy and paddled far enough away from the yacht that the anchor rode (line) stretched its full length. Once he had dropped the anchor and tugged on it a few times to be sure it was secure, he signaled all was ready for us to turn on the electric winch. This time, rather than holding us steady, the anchor held firm as we were pulled off the sandbar. Within a few minutes we were free and outside the harbor on our way across Lake Michigan.
The same anchor that held us steady through the night pulled us free in the morning, rescuing us from a difficult and potentially damaging situation.
Our relationship with God as our anchor works in much the same way. He holds us steady in the daily challenges of living, but is also there to rescue us when we hit the dangerous sandbars of life. In Hebrews 6:19 (NIV), the Apostle Paul says, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure." David says in Psalm 31, "For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy."
In the high peaks and deep, sometimes dark, valleys of my life, God has been both a steadying influence and a rescuer. Now, as I move deeper into my aging years, I realize the absolute necessity of staying close, and even intensifying my relationship with Him. It is certainly no time for spiritual coasting.
As my wife Shirley and I plan for the next 10 years, we look forward to the many opportunities God is opening up to us, but we also know that there will be transitions and challenges. On our own, we would be sailing in uncharted waters filled with anxiety and perhaps even fear. But God has set the course for every stage of our lives, and we can trust Him as much in the currents of our aging years as we did in the rapids of our youth. We change, but God never changes. One of our goals for Significant Living is to encourage you to make your relationship with Christ your most important priority. He is your anchor for the opportunities and challenges of the second half of life.