“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

It has been about 20 years since we last painted our house. Maybe even longer… I can’t remember. Our neighbor just painted her house, which sparked something in my wife because… one thing led to another and there we were, buying paint! All that needed to be done was to apply it! Yesterday, as we were working together, she turned to me and said, “we need to be thankful that we can still do this! The next time it needs painted we won’t be able too!!!! “ “____________!”

There is nothing one can say to a statement like that. Since the thought was out of character for her usual ‘can do’ attitude, the shock of the words hit and left me with the only thing that it could… silent consideration. I knew she was right. I have figured that my genetic chances of even living through my 70’s is low. Her statement brought that home to roost in the house of reality.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not sad or worried or afraid at all. I KNOW where I will spend eternity and that SHE will be with me. It will CERTAINLY be better than HERE! But SOMETHING was gnawing at my heart and I didn’t know what it was. Until later. I have teased about it, but the reality made me sad. Genes say I will probably die long before she does. Which means I won’t be there to help her with her needs later on. Excuse me while I wipe my face!

This month we will be married 42 years! Yes… I KNOW a LOT of you are in your 80’s and think this might be silly. But when did YOU have your first reality check? Katie and I started our marriage knowing each other for less than 3 months! To pay the bills, one of our first jobs was to paint houses together! Call it silly or nostalgic, but here we were, one more time, spending time together… doing what we have done SO many times before… as the clock ticks.

There will not be a need to paint in heaven. And this is NOT written to induce sorrow or melancholy. It is what it is. But it would be unfair and unfitting if I did not quote today’s verse. It SUMMARIZES our lives together. Yes… our hearts WILL fail and our bodies WILL grow weak. But we DO know what will NEVER fail. And that is our relationship in Christ alone. Regardless of the flesh, we will have strong souls and spirits thanks to our God.  And ya can’t gloss over that!