Time for Temple Maintenance

The closing of a hardware store and a drugstore caught my attention while I was stuck in traffic.  Already the buildings had fallen into disrepair.  It made me sad to think about the no longer used stores and the employees who lost their jobs.  Hopefully, other businesses will move in and restore the buildings to their former glory.

Those stores are not the only thing falling apart lately. I could add my name to the list. This past year has not been kind to my body. Last August a long time pain in my hips and legs became more acute. With too much to do and too many places to go, I kept hoping it would get better on its own. By the holidays I was using a cane and at times a wheelchair to get around. I spent a lot of time in my recliner with a heat pack on the affected areas. Being bored and watching too much TV led to a dangerous addiction—snacking. 

By the time I saw the orthopedic doctor in January, I needed shots and steroid epidural injections to calm the pain. Steroids are not kind to my body and one of the major side effects is immediate weight gain. Then I was off to physical therapy for four months before I could really walk again. No physical exercise and a year of poor eating habits and I was shabby-chic—looking old and worn around the edges.

My late bloomer husband is a fitness nut and he kept encouraging me to get moving again. Long walks made my leg hurt again, so I decided to take the suggestion of my physical therapist and get a recumbent bike. Those black and steel exercise machines at fitness centers really turn me off.  They remind me of medieval torture chambers, but I decided a recumbent bike was more user friendly. After much research, I opened my wallet and bought a bike. My daily rides have gone well so far with no bad side effects. Since the control panel looks like a black metal face and since it blows air to help keep me cool, I’ve decided to name my new friend “Darth Vadorette.”

I knew I still needed to do something about my eating habits. Exercise wouldn’t do the job alone. I decided to take the Bible verse seriously on the subject of temple maintenance.

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I need to feel better so that I can do those things that God calls me to do and glorify Him. Lack of energy makes me sluggish and tight fitting clothes make me want to stay home instead of interacting with others. So I bit the bullet and joined Weight Watchers. It has been a rude awakening to discover how out-of-control my eating has become. It will be a long but very worthwhile process. The new Smart Point online plan and an easy to navigate Smart Phone App make keeping up with my food intake easier than ever. I think I can do this long term and achieve my goal.

As senior adults we can go into a long decline, or we can do our best to get back into the action.  Darth Vadorette and I are on a mission to pedal together as far as we can.  I hope to see you on the road to better health.

Don't Take Church for Granted

Did you go to church Sunday?  Did you take time to pray today? The freedom to engage in those two activities is often taken for granted. But for those believers in China and Russia, it’s really risky behavior. Recent newspaper and magazine articles tell of religious crackdowns in these two Communist countries that are as severe as in the days of Stalin and Mao. 

According to the Christian Post newspaper in a July 16 article by Stoyan Zaimov, Chinese students in the Guizan Province are being told to stop going to church or be banned from going to college. Parents are forbidden from taking their children to church or the students will not be allowed to take college entrance exams or be admitted to the military. The excuse is that children under 18 should not be subjected to brainwashing.

In other areas of China, churches are ordered to remove outside crosses or they are torn down by authorities. House churches are under strict scrutiny and forced to turn over all tithes and offerings to the government. Church pastors and members who protest this unfair treatment are subject to arrest. 

A new law went into effect in Russia on July 20, 2016 that prohibits evangelizing outside of a recognized and government authorized church. Severe limits have been placed on preaching and teaching the Gospel. This includes activities in homes and online. This report written in Christianity Today by Kate Shellnutt explains that Russian nationalistic identity is tied to the Russian Orthodox Church and that those outside the established church who engage in missionary work will be severely punished. 

For ten years my daughter-in-law’s parents, Charles & Phyllis Hardie, served as missionaries in Novosibirsk, Russia. They entered Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union. That window of opportunity allowed them to preach and spread the Gospel to many who might never have heard.  They encountered all kinds of opposition from the Russian Orthodox Church. Now that the doors are closing again to evangelical Christianity, I pray that the seeds they planted will continue to grow and flourish.

Why are totalitarian regimes threatened by Christianity?  I can think of several reasons.

1. Christianity preaches a gospel of freedom.  Freedom from sin and freedom of conscience proclaims that the individual should not be controlled by the State.
2. Christians believe in the supremacy of God and Jesus and obedience to God and Jesus as their ultimate authority and not the government.
3. Christians do, however, believe that civil allegiance is owed to the State and that Christians should pray for their leaders.
4. Communist controlled societies are atheistic and do not believe in the existence of God and Christianity’s belief in God is a threat to their disbelief.

Many Bible verses talk about Christian persecution and how Christians are to bear up in times of distress.  1 Peter 3:16 “Keep a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Theologian William Barclay said “Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.”

Pray for Christians who are being persecuted in Russia and China and for those whose lives are in danger at the hands of ISIS and other evil groups. And be willing to take a stand against those who would place limitations upon the spread of the Gospel here in America.

A Helping Hand

Happy 75^th birthday to United Service Organizations—better known as the USO. President Roosevelt encouraged the creation of this private entity at the beginning of World War II in 1941. The stated purpose was to support our troops overseas by building clubs that would provide a “home away from home.” The USO clubs provided dances and social activities, as well as a quiet place to write a letter or read.  It later became well known for its sponsorship of celebrity entertainment to raise the morale of the soldiers, sailors, and pilots serving deployed to distant battlefields.

Many of us remember Bob Hope and other celebrities who brought cheer and encouragement to the troops fighting in Vietnam. Today contingents of USO volunteers are on hand at the top of the airport escalator to cheer men and women in uniform returning to the home front at the end of their tour of duty. This organization provides a valuable service and a helping hand to those who are sacrificing to meet the military obligations of our country. Private donations and volunteers are vital to the success of the USO. 

Today I want to share a touching story from guest blogger, Rosanne Douglas, about how she and her husband provided a lifeline to another of God’s creation.  Rosanne is a member of my Christian Authors Guild. She writes a variety of styles including inspirational and human interest stories. She has also written Bible studies as well as poetry. Welcome Rosanne.

“It was one of those, ‘but does God-really-care-what-you’re-going-through kind of day!’  A walk would do us good we thought as we stepped from our cozy cabin into the sunshine. This trek would take us where the creek frames the gravel road and honeysuckle winds its way up the roadside bushes. And mountain laurel was soon to display her breath-taking white bridal gown boasting of her southern beauty and sweet savor! My husband and I lived off a trail at the foot of the Smokey Mountains and daily enjoyed God’s stunning creation. Stopping along the creek waterfront, I breathed in the fragrance and felt God’s presence entangled with my own. I needed this. The season had been a spiritually tough one.

From the corner of my eye, I locked in to the distress signals of a black bug scooting about on the top of a rocky mound—a tiny island surrounded by tumbling water but scaled to his size!  With no fly gear attached the bug seemed imprisoned and desperate. When his first pair of feet touched the stream, he quickly backed away. That would not work!  Several minutes went by.  Circumstances got him there, but now he was in scramble mode—vulnerable but determined.

We decided to throw him a lifeline?  We did it by forging the stream with a stick which enabled him to cross over. He was now a happy little bugger as he scampered into the woods.

How often do we find ourselves in that same predicament with no way out, hopeless, crying for help?  The Lord reminded me that He is there to attend to our every need in life, no matter how big or how tiny.  If important to us, is important to Him.  He always plans a way of escape.             

 Isa. 30:21; Jer. 6;16; 1 Cor.10:13

This little black bug gave us a mighty lesson in diligence and trust in God’s faithfulness— a lesson learned from one of the most unlikely of God’s creatures. “

You can contact Rosanne at writer7rosanne@gmail.com

Look My Way

What’s tall, colorful, and gyrates wildly to get your attention as you drive down the road and silently says “Look My Way”?

An Inflatable Air Dancer

These vinyl creations are most often used to lure customers into a retail store or car dealership. But vineyards and gardens are sometimes decorated with these sky puppets in order to repel birds and four footed creatures that like to eat the fruit and plants.

There are days when I identify with the wacky waving tube man. In recent weeks, I’ve been pulled from one event to another. Circumstances and situations constantly required me to change gears or change hats. And there is no end in sight. But I have discovered some spiritual and practical lessons as I’ve observed my air dancing friend.

Spiritual Lessons

• It’s easy to ignore my surroundings. Just as I drive without ever seeing the stores on the side of the road, am I also failing to observe people and their needs? Unless someone grabs my attention like my air dancer friend, I’m content to stay in my own little world. I need to be attuned to the spirit that tells me to interact with folks I meet each day..
• Life is full of twists and turns and I often flail about on my own trying to get my balance.  I stay that way until I realize that I am not in charge of the circumstances of my life.  If I have done my best, I need to trust God to handle the rest. “So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6.
• Like the tube man, keep on smiling. Everyone knows my mood by my face.  I’m not very good at hiding my feelings. I want to be spiritually uplifting to people who are probably having a tough day too and a smile is a good way to start.

Practical Lessons

• Be more flexible—physically & emotionally.
• Limit sticking my fingers into too many pies.
• Go with the flow.
• Relax when I have a bad hair day.
• Strive to be that skinny again.

Even an inanimate object like an air dancer can teach us important lessons about life.

Click on this YouTube link to see air dancers in action.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiOybfrhsnNAhXCeCYKHde0Ck0QtwIIHzAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Drkg9ov-2N4g&usg=AFQjCNGHfVQ6hXVG5PZabvrPP7Qii-Ebog&bvm=bv.125596728,d.eWE 

Keep the American Spirit

I felt a sense of pride as I pulled into my condo community today and saw American flags mounted on all our mailboxes in honor of Flag Day.  The banners representing our country fluttered in the breeze and at times snapped to attention when a stiffer wind blew. In light of recent terror attacks on our citizens. I also felt a sense of sadness that enemies both foreign and domestic are attempting to destroy our American way of life.

Some things never change. One hundred years ago today President Woodrow Wilson officially established June 14, 1916 as Flag Day.  He spoke these wise words:

“Many circumstances have recently conspired to turn our thoughts to a critical examination of the conditions of our national life, of the influences which have seemed to threaten to divide us, of forces within and without. Stand with united hearts for an America which no man can corrupt; no influence draw away from its ideals; no force divide against itself.”

We need to pray for our country as never before that we the people will appreciate and protect our country, not only for ourselves, but for the generations that will follow.

Several weeks ago I asked fellow bloggers to submit a guest piece. In the patriotic spirit of the recent Memorial Day and upcoming Independence Day, I received the following from Debbra Stephens. Debbra has published Bible studies on the Gospels and the book of Ephesians. She is on the women’s ministry team at her Marietta, Georgia church and blogs at www.DebbraStephens.com. Welcome Debbra.

Make It Memorable

"With holidays come memories. I usually choose to remember only the fond ones, of course. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t experienced bad holidays—I just choose not to dwell on them.

I don’t want to remember how many spare ribs I’ve burned, pies I’ve ruined, or potato salad recipes I’ve attempted. And I certainly don’t want to recall relational tensions, family feuds, or feelings that got wounded.

What types of things do you dwell upon?  Choosing to dwell upon the admirable and the lovely helps to shape positive attitudes. It’s not to deny reality, mind you. It’s simply a choice…a wise choice. When practiced, it eliminates attitudes that have the potential to rob the atmosphere of joy, truth, or worse, create great difficulties. This is nothing new. It’s an age-old principle—tried, tested, and proven true—and handed down by the Apostle Paul. It’s something I like to call the 4:8 Principle.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, 
whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 
whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

I look forward to every opportunity to make family holiday celebrations memorable. I want to be positively all there and leave the negatives where they belong—in the past, forgotten and forgiven. And following the 4:8 Principle ensures just that."

Today I reached 20,000 clicks on my blog www.twolatebloomers .  
I never dreamed four years ago my blog would reach that many people. Thank you for your support.

Live Longer & Healthier

Everyone wants to live a longer and healthier life. Numerous website and magazines provide plenty of advice on how to care for your body and maximize your lifespan.

Eat the right food, exercise, drink lots of water, make sleep a priority, don’t smoke or use illegal drugs, and maintain a healthy weight are on every list.  Recently several articles have appeared on news and Facebook feeds about the importance of faith, prayer, and church attendance in a longer-healthier life.  In August 2025 I referenced two studies in my blog post The Pursuit of Happiness.

http://twolatebloomers.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-pursuit-of-happiness.html

More studies have followed that have led to some surprising conclusions. Seven benefits of an active faith are described by researchers as follows:

                                                           Happiness

Participation in religious organizations was ‘the only social activity associated with sustained happiness.’ Researchers noted, however, that it is unclear whether the benefits of participating in a religious organization are linked to being in the religious community, or to the faith itself. 

The Week,  The Key to Sustained Happiness, 8.15.15

                                                       Less Depression

                 

Regardless of unhealthy or healthy habits, the study found that people who attended one religious service each week were less likely to be depressed than those who did not. Since depression can impact longevity, such attendance might help. And a 1998 study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that elderly community residents who regularly attended church services lived longer than those who did not partake.  Health.com,  21 Reasons you Will Live Longer Than your Friends,  Michael De Medeiros, 9.19.15

                                            Stress Relief

A number of studies have found that devout people have fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as a better ability to cope with stress. Certain religious practices may even change the brain in a way that boosts mental health, studies suggest.

The Science of Religion: How Spirituality Impacts Mental Health, Rachael Rettner, 9.29.15 

                                                    Better Mental Health

For example, a 2005 study of older adults in the San Francisco Bay area found that being religious served as a buffer against depression among people in poorer health, with the highest levels of depression among those who were in poor health and not religious. In addition, a 2013 study found that patients who are being treated for mental-health issues such as depression or anxiety responded better to treatment if they believed in God. The Science of Religion: How Spirituality Impacts Mental Health, Rachael Rettner, 9.29.15

                                               Purpose & Meaning in Life

In another review of 93 studies on religion and health, Dr. Harold G. Koenig, director of the Center for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University Medical Center, found that more religious people had fewer depressive symptoms."People who are more involved in religious practices and who are more religiously committed seem to cope better with stress," Koenig said. "One of the reasons is because [religion] gives people a sense of purpose and meaning in life, and that helps them to make sense of negative things that happen to them," Koenig said. A person's religious community can also provide support and encouragement through hard times, he said."

                                                       Healthier Brain

Studies on the brains of religious people may also provide an explanation for the link between religion and mental-health benefits, said Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital in Philadelphia. Studies suggest that meditation, and meditative prayer (such as prayer that repeats a particular phrase), activate areas of the brain involved in regulating emotional responses, including the frontal lobes, Newberg said."It's also possible that the beliefs and teachings advocated by a religion — like forgiveness, love and compassion — may ‘become integrated into the way the brain works. The more that certain neural connections in the brain are used, the stronger they become, he said, so if a religion advocates compassion, the neural circuits involved in thinking about compassion become stronger.”

 

                                       Longer Life

Women who attend religious services frequently may live longer than women who don't, new research suggests. Women who attended religious services regularly were 33 percent less likely to die during the study period, compared with women who never attended services. Once-a-week attendees were 26 percent less likely to die, and those attending less than once a week were 23 percent less likely to die. Overall, frequent religious attendance was associated with a 27 percent lower likelihood of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 21 percent lower risk of death from cancer. Frequent attendance was also associated with significantly less risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer.  Religious Service Attendance Tied to Longer Life, Reuters, 5.16.16

We know that being a Christian gives us eternal life in heaven and abundant life here on earth. Now, it appears that the scientific benefits for our bodies and minds are equally important. Say your prayers, read your Bible, and go to church on Sunday. It just might save your life.

Blog Along with Me

Today I write blog post #98 and celebrate the fourth anniversary of Too/Two Late Bloomers, which I started in May 2012. During these four years, 20,000 people in over 20 countries have clicked on my blog. I think that is something to celebrate. Last week I taught a class on blogging for beginners at my Christian Authors Guild writers’ group and was amazed that my experience encourages others to take a leap into the blogosphere. 

People benefit from blogging—especially senior adults— according to Carla K Johnson of the Associated Press who wrote an article entitled “Senior Citizen Bloggers Defy Stereotypes” in 2005. Putting your thoughts on paper and online is good therapy.

Blogging helps all age groups because people are writing about topics of interest to them. Blogging keeps our mental juices flowing and connects us with people of like interest. When people blog, they are not in front of the TV and are being creative. While reading and writing blogs, folks grow and learn each day.

You have gotten to know me and my late bloomer husband through my blog and now I’d like to know you better.

What would you blog about if you had the chance?

Here’s your opportunity. I am soliciting input for my blog from you and throwing out a challenge. Submit a paragraph or poem to me on any subject you like, and after editing I will publish it on my blog during the month of June. You can identify yourself or submit it anonymously. Here are some topics to choose from along with others that interest you.

• Rites of passage – graduations, weddings, new jobs, retirement
• Summer holidays – the flag, military service, parades, picnics
• Seasons of Life – empty nest syndrome, senior adulthood, children/grandchildren
• Spiritual Experiences – answered prayers, helping a neighbor, feeling God’s presence

Type your submission in the body of an email with the subject line reading: blog submission and send it to me at:  friedas@bellsouth.net

I can’t wait to see how many of you will accept the challenge.