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By Dr. Rich Bimler, Lutheran Life Communities –
I encourage you to sign up today for the “4 W’s Club”! It is a great way to celebrate life as we age joyfully in the Lord!
Membership is free! All you need to do is continue to see aging as a gift to be shared and enjoyed with others. All of us already have these four qualities – wit, wisdom, wrinkles and wows – we only need to realize these as gifts and be intentional about sharing them.
Here goes:
1. WIT – Every time we look in the mirror, we are reminded that the Lord really does have a sense of humor! We are created, not with five senses, but rather with six, because everyone does have a sense of humor. Laughter is “internal jogging,” so the next time someone asks you if you exercise, proudly proclaim that you do every day, as you laugh and guffaw and share your wit with others.
2. WISDOM – Wisdom does not mean that you and I know all the answers and that all people need to do is “Google” us to find out the correct way of living. Wisdom means that we know that we do NOT have all the answers, and that we live in the forgiveness that allows us to be able to share our experiences, both good and bad, with others. We have “been there – done that” and we share our life’s travels with others to encourage and assist them in their decisions.
3. WRINKLES – Wrinkles are life’s battle scars! Rejoice in them, even though you may be able to lie in bed and hear your skin wrinkling. Not to worry! They show that we are still alive and enjoying life. I overhead someone recently say that wrinkles happen when you laugh a lot. Another older adult nearby looked at this person and quipped, “but nothing is that funny!” Have fun with you wrinkles – if young people can pierce various body parts, perhaps we should start piercing our wrinkles!
4. WOW – The Lord provides us with so many people who surround us, young and old, that we will never run out of finding and helping others to find the wows of life in the Lord! Think of some of those wows that are happening all around you these days – perhaps an e-mail from a friend, an evening sunset, a little child at play, a smile from a person you hardly know, and maybe even no traffic congestion on Tamiami Trail! (Well, let’s not push it!)
There you have it – the 4 W’s of life in the Lord!
And by the way, these 4 W’s of life are integral parts of the new Arlington of Naples being developed in Lely Resort. Come check us out or call us at 239-206-2646. “Live Brightly!” is our tag line because we know that these 4 W’s of life bring joy and brightness to all of us. Come join us, and bring your Wit, Wisdom, Wrinkles, and Wows with you!
(This article is adapted from Dr. Bimler’s new book, “Joyfully Aging!”, Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 2012. For a copy of his book, please call the Arlington of Naples)
About the Author
Dr. Rich Bimler, Bloomingdale, Illinois, has served the Church in various positions throughout his 49 year ministry career. He repositioned in 2006 after serving for 15 years as President/CEO of Wheat Ridge Ministries. He serves as the Ambassador of Health, Hope, and Aging (AH-HA!) for Lutheran Life Communities, Arlington Heights, Illinois. He continues to write, speak, and consult with other agencies and organizations throughout the world.