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Friday, 03 October 2008 18:40 |
GROWING OLD
My elderly professor of aging and spirituality used to say that aging is two sided. Saint Paul puts it this way in the fourth chapter of his second letter to the Corinthians; “we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us.” “Growing Old” may sound like an oxymoron: two words that don’t belong together. As a culture we are far more likely to associate aging with decline rather than growth. Decline in our ability to do some of the things we used to do is clearly part of the aging process. Paul reminds us that “our outer nature is wasting away”. Since we were toddlers we’ve put great value on our ability to do things ourselves. We see with our own eyes the decline of the outer nature of our loved ones (and our own) it can leave us feeling sad, angry, and afraid: powerless.
But Paul finishes his thought with, “our inner nature is being renewed day by day.” With each year of life we have another year in relationship to God. With each new day we experience moments of grace. Life is not easy, “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…” Spiritual resiliency is nurtured in community It is the experience of being knocked down and stunned by events and finding a hand of comfort, support, and encouragement that assists us in once again rising. It is the experience of faith, hope, and love shared through our various connection in life that nurtures our inner renewal
So we do not lose heart. Even though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. [17] For this slight momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all measure (2 Cor. 4:16-17) |
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Local pastor wants to take the ‘bad’ out of getting old |
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Friday, 03 October 2008 18:37 |
Local pastor wants to take the ‘bad’ out of getting old
By Nicole A. Hawley
Prime Time editor
CLINTON - Most everyone has heard the old wise saying, “With age comes wisdom.”
But the Rev. Brian McCaffrey, pastor and chaplain at LutheranCare Ministries on Utica Road, said one doesn’t automatically go hand-in-hand with the other.
“It actually takes reflection on our lives for us to get wiser [EmDash] to give it meaning and direction,” McCaffrey, 54, said.
It’s this reflection on life’s journey that is what getting older is all about, he said. McCaffrey, a Minnesota native who has been a pastor for more than 20 years, said people need to stop looking at aging as a time for loss or a means to and end, but rather an opportunity for tremendous gain.
“Everywhere you look there’s a negative message about growing older,” he said. “It’s seen as a problem that needs solving or an illness we need to cure rather than part of our journey. It may take a lifetime to realize what’s been given to us in our faith, but society puts so much negativity on getting old. It’s actually a time for reflecting back on life’s experiences, and it’s time to cultivate the wisdom learned by these life experiences.”
McCaffrey hopes to spread his message to both young and old as the chairman of The Northeast Forum on Spirituality & Aging and C.A.S.T. (Christians in Action for Seniors Team), the older-adult ministry team for the upstate New York Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. He has held the position for the last two years. It is the mission of C.A.S.T. to be a catalyst in meeting the challenges and opportunities of aging as a faith-filled expression of the gospel, McCaffrey said. LutheranCare and C.A.S.T. have formed a partnership to explore programming to include spirituality for seniors. The older-adult team has been active in the Synod for about 20 years. Volunteers from throughout the Synod have advocated for programming which addresses the needs and concerns of the aging population. Over the years, the group has become increasingly aware of the need to address the issues of ageism both in society and in congregations.
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Last Updated on Friday, 03 October 2008 18:39 |
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MENTAL AEROBICS - KEEPING YOUR BRAIN FIT! |
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Friday, 03 October 2008 18:35 |
MENTAL AEROBICS - KEEPING YOUR BRAIN FIT!
Azamnig! I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdgnieg. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy it deosn’t mttaer in waht order the ltteers in a word aepapr. The phaonmneal pweor of the hamun mnid, can raed the wrdos as lnog as the frist and lsat ltteer are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the haumn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Is tihs indcreible or waht?
God created the brain to be the most amazing organism in the universe. God gave one to each of us. Consider this: You are unique in God=s creation - there never has been, nor will there ever be a brain just like yours. It is in your very best interest to do active maintenance to keep your brain fit. You will need your brain every day until you die. It is never too late to retrain your brain.
I have been involved in Brain Research for ten years, have written two books on this subject and countless articles including a weekly column in a local paper. I teach AMental Aerobics@ classes locally and nationally. I am prescribing and describing five habits, that when incorporated into your life style, can help to keep your brain fit and functioning.
Exercise! To keep oxygen flowing to your brain you must exercise each day. You must work at it and make it part of your lifestyle. Not only is moving good for your brain by brining it much needed oxygen, it also provides a break from routine, gets you out in the fresh air and provides an opportunity to commune with God and admire God’s work in your world. Get your exercise in whatever way appeals most to you and that you will incorporate into your lifestyle.
You are what you eat! Your brain and your body function as a whole unit. You cannot separate them. What you do for your brain, you do for your heart. Fill up on dark colored fruits and vegetables. These items contain anti-oxidants which help to destroy free radicals in your system. These free radicals damage your entire system and help to build plaque which can cause great harm. Drink lots of water. Your brain is 78% water. To keep your brain functioning optimally, you must keep it hydrated. Cut back on bad fats - the kind that clog your arteries. Clogged arteries don=t allow sufficient blood to flow to your brain. Include Olive and Canola oil in your daily diet to increase the good Omega 3 fatty acids. Eliminate (or use very sparingly) butter and hydrogenated margarine. Stay away from highly processed foods. You do not want fries with that! Trust me! Eat more fish and chicken. Control your portion size. As a country, we eat too much. Carrying around extra weight is not good for body or brain. Google “food pyramid” to discover what the government and nutritionists are suggesting for good health.
Challenge: To maintain optimum brain health, challenge your brain every day. This is where the crossword puzzle comes in. But, a word of warning, if you do the crossword puzzle every day, your brain says, Asame old, same old.@ Try the Jumble or a Word Search or work on a jigsaw puzzle or try Soduko which appears in almost every paper nation wide.
Take a course. Take painting, line dancing, photography, computer skills or learn a new language. Learning new things is always good brain exercise. Another way to keep your brain challenged is to take an in depth Bible Study class. Stretch your thinking. Teach a Sunday School class. As you prepare for your lesson, you must study and do the scriptural reading in both Bible and Commentaries. You will be amazed how much you can learn when you teach. Learn something new to keep your brain challenged.
Newness and Novelty! Your brain thrives on novelty. Give your brain a workout. Get it involved in doing every day tasks, but in new ways. I have my students read a paragraph upside down – just for fun, try it now. How did you do? Read the opening paragraph again. I challenge you to brush your teeth or eat part of a meal with your non-preferred hand. We know from experiments with people who have had strokes that the brain can be re-wired to learn new ways of doing things. If these tasks seem too much, start small. Sit in a different place in church or at your dinner table. Find a new route to church or the mall.
Make your brain work instead of putting it on auto-pilot. I often take notes with my other hand. It stimulates my brain and keeps me focused. Try it. Give your brain a workout by providing something new and novel for it to do.
Love!. We are communal beings. You survive and function better in “community” than isolation. The more contact, physical and emotional you have with others, the better your brain responds. The essence of Jesus= message was love - love of God and neighbor. When you do for others within and beyond your faith community you are living out Jesus= teachings and doing some good for your brain as well.
A show of love can be as simple as a smile, a small touch of hand or a pat on the back. These techniques work in church. Just taking the time to focus on another person does wonders for the both of you. Your body produces electro-chemicals called endorphins. These are feel good chemicals that are beneficial for both brain and body.
To keep your brain fit, functioning and spiritual for a very long time, practice these five suggestions:
Exercise - get some every day - or almost every day
Diet - change your diet, change your life
Challenge - give your brain something to think about each day
Newness and novelty are good brain aerobics
Love - find someone to hug each day
Incorporate these five practices as a part of your lifestyle to keep your brain fit! Amen and Amen!
Barbara Bruce is a nationally known speaker and an author. She serves on the Western New York Conference Older Adult Ministries Team and has a certificate in Gerontology. Barbara is passionate about learning about how people learn. She is author of countless articles and eight books including Mental Aerobics – 75 Ways of Keeping Your Brain Fit and Our Spiritual Brain: Integrating Brain Research and Faith Development. |
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Friday, 03 October 2008 18:29 |
Your Spiritual Brain
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.@ (Mt-22:37)
When considering your relationship with God you must consider your holistic self.
God is part of heart and soul to be sure, but God is also part of your mind/ brain.
Your brain has a great deal to do with your spiritual self and with transforming your spiritual life. By understanding how the brain functions, you can make small, but significant changes in the quality of faith growth. The study of the brain has included most disciplines. In the last decades a new science has evolved due to curiosity of scientists about the brain and religious experience. This curiosity has led to the formation of Aneurotheology@ (neuro = brain, theology = study of God). Researchers around the world are attempting to find connections between religious experiences and brain functioning.
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Top 10 Reasons to Encourage Older Adult Ministry |
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Friday, 26 September 2008 15:32 |
Question: Who needs older adult ministry?
Answer: The Church – Your Church
One of the hundred reasons (we are only encouraging 10, not to worry) is that according to "America's Crisis in Aging" by Edwin J. Pittock, President, Society of Certified Senior Advisors at a conference on January 14, 2004, "Over the next 16 years, the number of people over 50 will grow by 74%, while the people under 50 will grow by only 1%."
The church must pay attention!
With a nod to David Letterman let’s explore the top ten reasons the church needs Older Adult Ministry. I believe with all my heart that each church no matter what size or where God has planted it, must have a meaningful and active Older Adult Ministry for the following reasons – the church needs to:
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Column: Spirituality & Aging