Faith

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Friday, June 7, 2024Faith

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Nine decades have brought my mom to precisely where she is. And as I get older, I find it encouraging to know that none of the time we are given is wasted.

Jaymie Stuart
Wolfe

Time flies, whether you're having fun or not. I seem to notice it most when someone close to me reaches a milestone anniversary or birthday, not so much when I do. This week, my mom turns 90, and something about that just doesn't add up. Maybe it's because she takes fewer prescription medications than I do, still drives, insists on cooking and cleaning, and is the same person she has always been in almost every way.
There have, of course, been a few changes. Most notably among them has been how she spends her time. Mom was originally concerned about being able to find a part-time job in Louisiana when she quit cashiering at Market Basket and moved here with us in 2018. But that was before she found fresh purpose in intercessory prayer. I'm not sure exactly when or how she became a full-time prayer warrior. Her daily commitment to praying for other peoples' needs didn't materialize overnight; it grew organically and over time.
Nine decades have brought my mom to precisely where she is. And as I get older, I find it encouraging to know that none of the time we are given is wasted. God can -- and does -- make use of it all. The process of personal growth and development doesn't end. It continues for as long as we do.

As a former evangelical, I like to look up Bible verses that match an important date or occasion. The results often amaze me. Psalm 90 couldn't be more appropriate for my mom's 90th birthday. It begins, "In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge." That line is most certainly the testimony of my mother's life. She has endured more than her share of suffering and loss. But she would be the first to tell you that God has always been faithful -- sometimes before you ask.
"Seventy is the sum of our years, or 80, if we are strong, and most of them are fruitless toil, for they pass quickly and we drift away." Nothing here lasts -- not the things we wish could go on forever, nor the things we had hoped to avoid entirely. But even what we experience as "fruitless toil" is not truly fruitless. It may take years for the seeds that are planted in us to mature, but in time, they do.
Our lifespans -- 40, 60, 90 -- to God "are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night." Time passes quickly, and each successive year seems to move faster than the last. As we grow older, our perspective becomes more like God's. Eventually, we realize that our earthly lives careen across time the way a falling star shoots across the night sky.
"Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days." Our Lord is ready to renew his mercies for us every day. That's the secret to the spiritual life my mom is now living so well. She doesn't so much believe in the power of her prayer as she trusts in God as a loving Father. Mom asks for God's kindness because she expects God to be kind. And when she experiences that kindness, she's quick to respond with gladness and joy.
"Let your work be seen by your servants and your glory by their children." Mom's greatest delight these days is seeing God at work. Nothing makes her happier than feeling like the prayers she has offered have made a difference in a challenging situation. My mom's ministry of intercession has shown me that God is our refuge not only in every age, but at every age.

- Jaymie Stuart Wolfe is a Catholic convert, wife, and mother of eight. Inspired by the spirituality of St. Francis de Sales, she is an author, speaker, and musician, and provides freelance editorial services to numerous publishers and authors as the principal of One More Basket. Find Jaymie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter @YouFeedThem.