I recently made a trip to Mt. Shasta for a week long retreat. Six "young elders," all of us over 60, gathered to contemplate moving into the last one-third of our lives. We wanted to make a conscious choice about this transition from middle age to Elder.
What does it mean to be an Elder? How will I handle being retired and a senior citizen? What is God calling me to do or be when I can't do or be what I was as a younger person? (Darn it, where are my glasses, where did all my energy go, who made the newspaper print so small, and what the heck is a Blackberry?! You make jam out of blackberries, right?)
We shared our stories, made decisions about what we wanted to let go or leave behind us: outdated attitudes, dreams, fantasies, old ways of thinking about who we are. We dreamed new dreams about who we want to be as wise elders, sharing our life experiences and wisdom with those coming along behind us. We spent a quiet day near the mountain, listening for God's voice and praying for direction.
We returned refreshed, renewed, and a bit wiser about ourselves and where we want to be as we grow older. We stated our intentions to each other, sharing our witness, and our love. We're not old! We're Elders, just not as young as we used to be.
Grace Church is over 100 years old, already a wise Elder. Now, she is at a cross roads and choices must be made regarding her next several years of life. We, as her people, have an opportunity to make wise, conscious, and God centered decisions about the future. Who are we? What is God calling us to be or do in our community? Where do we want to be in ten years? Who, besides God, will help us in this endeavor?
Stay tuned! More to come after a short break!!
On the advice of a local pet store owner, I purchased a life-sized plastic Heron decoy and placed it close to my pond. The theory is that if a real Heron flies over the pond and sees what it thinks is a fellow bird, it will not come in for a meal. However, if it sees more than one, it will join the flock. 
