Vintage Value

My wife and I spent an hour or so today rummaging through an antique store. We bought a few things and admired many others. Some of the items were beautifully preserved and some showed the wear and tear of daily use from days gone by. So many of the items reminded me of Grandma and Grandad's house. There were several long cylindrical water buckets used to draw water from a narrow deep well. I loved pulling the chain to lower and then hoist the one beside their old place. There is a release at the top that you pull to let out the water. That always seemed fun to me as a kid. The store had old plates and kitchenware, tubs, tools, furniture, and so many other articles from decades ago. Much of that stuff is prized now for its decorative value but it is also still valuable for the practical use for which it was crafted.

Tomorrow my family and I will visit another place filled with vintage valuables. Those valuables are not really prized for their decorative value. Sadly, neither are they still being utilized for that which they were designed. Many of them need professional care. We are going to a nursing home. Each week we provide a church service at a local nursing home where my wife plays piano while I lead singing then I preach and have prayer with the folks who attend. I like to linger there too because they also remind me of Grandma and Grandad.

People will ooh and aah over the patina of old metal or wood finishes even if rust or decay is present. The patina authenticates the age of the article and increases its value. When we see the marks of age on our older folks, too often we shy away from them. They have a glow about them too but one has to spend time near them to see it. We forget or fail to consider the years of toil that produced those wrinkles and age spots. Those are badges of honor.

We are rapidly losing what Tom Brokaw dubbed "The Greatest Generation." As they slip into eternity we are losing more than mere memories. We are losing teachers who, if consulted, could tell us a thing or two about gumption, determination, faithfulness, and sacrifice. The generation who lived through World War II knew how to take less and make it go farther. They made things that lasted. They unashamedly loved their God, their families, and their country. They may have been less educated and enjoyed fewer technological advances, but they were no less intelligent and their level of morality shames the wayward culture of today.

In your family, or your church, or even at a local nursing home you can find folks who would absolutely love for you to take but a few minutes to spend with them. Talk to our older generation. Listen and you will find wisdom that comes only from those who have travelled farther down life's path than you have. They will be blessed. You will be blessed. And maybe, just maybe, you will come away the wiser for the time spent. Their signs of age will seem like the prized patina from other vintage valuables. They are worthy of your time.

Because He lives,

Robby