As my oldest grandchildren enter adulthood, I talk to them as best I can about what matters in life. As I write this, I realize I need to say more, clearly, directly, and more often. Because, living at the short end of the candle I believe my rear view vision is 20/20. I could be wrong as I’ve made many normal errors in living. But, I believe I got the big things – the important stuff – right. Life is worth living. Every life has a purpose. Every life is important and precious.
A life worth living is based on eternal truths and making the best of current circumstances.
The eternal truths are written in the Holy Bible. The Bible speaks to the nature of God and the nature of man. It’s the owner’s manual for humankind.
Read it DAILY and you find that your life has a purpose.
You will (or Thou Shalt!):
“Understand the range and context for every good and bad human behavior.
Get guidance for your daily life in thought, word, and deed.
Have the strength to bear the worst, most awful things that can happen and enjoy all the good things better than ever.
Understand how to have right relationships with your spouse, family, church, friends, co-workers, community, government, strangers, and foreigners.
Treasure the peace beyond understanding and a joy that knows no bounds.
See a moral plumb line for right and wrong.
Learn to life your fullest life from rising to resting. One day at a time.
Feel the lovingkindness, the underserved and unmerited love given to you and be able to give that agape love to others – even when you’d rather not.
Love yourself enough to take care of every aspect of your health and well-being.
Gain much more, too much to list it all, and then, at the moment of your death, be fully alive in a new, good place for eternity.
Find the real application of that daily Bible reading is to live for others.
And live as best you can in the circumstances of your time.”
That’s the hard part.
When I was 16, I surprised and pleased my High School teacher when I changed his assigned personal essay on our “Philosophy of Life” by writing a Philosophy of Death. In other words, I wrote that life isn’t how you want to live, but what are you willing to die for.
I created a hierarchy of duties for myself.
I’ve done my duties in that hierarchy all of my life from 16 to now – 75. I’ve served better since I started daily Bible reading at age 32.
Family, faith, and freedom are above self. They’re worth laying down your life.
I encourage grandchildren to make the most of their working lives. Seek the best in their working lives to let their interests produce income. And, don’t lose sight of what is most important.
Relationship with the one, true, sovereign, living Lord God. Relationships with others. Loving the Lord with all your heart, mind, strength, and soul (life force). Loving yourself as you love others.
Family, faith, freedom align with causes – in the circumstances of their lives with events far beyond their control. Like fighting in ever sense of the word to preserve, protect, and improve our American Civilization. And, as needed, Western Civilization.
May my grandchildren, as every generation of our People in America have before us, live in the Zeitgeist of their time yet stay anchored by Biblical Christian faith.
And have many more grandchildren of their own.
Read James Atticus Bowden at https://jatticus.wordpress.com/ and https://substack.com/@jamesatticusbowden and https://x.com/jatticusbowden
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