On Becoming 80 

 by Bill McElvaney

Driving on Preston Road recently I saw a sign “assisted living,” followed by a place name and phone number. The term assisted living conjures up images of decline, frailty, and dependency. In reality we have been indebted to assisted living since birth and even in our mother’s womb. All our days have been characterized by the assistance--one way or another--from parents, family, friends, mentors, and a host of others. It happens in both individualized relationships and in more communal settings. I call this pervasive grace.

As I approach the threshold of 80 on June 3, I can only give thanks to the Northaven community, as well as to others, for being a means of grace through countless acts of assisted living . . . welcoming back a former pastor, providing opportunities for pastoral and prophetic ministry, putting up with my blind spots, offering a creative environment for growth, sharing each others hurts and hopes, and developing new friends. 

To share God’s unconditional love together is an ultimate experience of assisted living. To be embraced by the Good News is to be touched by a mysterious Lover who brings all life into being; who affirms our worth in spite of our failures, offering new beginnings to all our endings; who undergirds the worst sinner with the offer of redeeming love and undermines the best hypocrite with judgment calling forth repentance; who beckons us to follow in the footsteps of the One sent to preach good news to the poor and recovering of sight to the blind, to bind up the brokenhearted, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; who invites us to be barrier breakers and community makers standing up for peace and justice; who gives no worldly guarantee of victory other than the victory of living for risk-filled truth itself. Assisted living indeed.

The 92^nd Psalm suggests that people of faith “still bring forth fruit in old age, and are full of sap and green to show that the Lord is upright.” So being full of sap in old age, biblically speaking, is intended as a compliment. Please continue to “assist” me in being willing to be full of sap! 

Love and hugs, 

Bill