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I've just turned 85. As someone has said, "If I'd known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself!" When I suddenly realized that I had accumulated more "past" than I have "future," I knew it was not to be squandered.

God has blessed me with a long life, and with longevity comes many lessons. Still, there are many things I wish I had learned sooner. One benefit of living long is being able to share what you've learned with others. So make a senior citizen's day and allow me to share three secrets that, if heeded at an early age, could make your life more fulfilling and useful in service to others.

	"You have power, through prayer, to make each day a time for growth."—Jean Sherman

1. Time is precious; don't waste it.
I first got an inkling of this secret shortly after my first husband died. I was staying with friends for a weekend. One evening, my hosts began bickering as they prepared dinner. Suddenly they were quarreling at full tilt. Their voices grew louder, and soon they were not speaking to each other.

This was naturally an awkward situation for me, their guest. I felt uncomfortable, but even more than that, I felt sorry for them. I knew such arguments were not unusual between a husband and wife (my late husband and I had engaged in several doozies over the years). But at that moment, I understood it like never before: the time we have to share is so precious, we ought not waste it bickering about something that won't matter 100 years from now.

Whether it's with a spouse, a parent, a sibling, or a friend, do all that you can to live in peace with that person, because no matter how much time you have together, it will never be enough.

2. You're making memories.
You are making memories for your old age when you are young, so make sure they are happy ones. One can look back over the landscape of eight decades, as I often do, and praise God for so many special and unforgettable moments. I cherish them and hold them close.

For example, I can remember the days that each of my two husbands died. In each instance, we kissed (as we always did when we parted) at noontime. In each instance, at 5:30 P.M., I found them dead. I was the one to discover them. I've always been glad of that. And for the final kiss!

3. It's not what happens to you, but how you respond.
You have the power from God in Christ, through prayer, to make each day a time for growth. Each day that dawns has in it for each of us at least one, perhaps many, occasions to test our resolve. It may present a dilemma: the loss of a loved one, a financial setback, or a broken relationship. Life is full of seemingly unpleasant challenges. But can we cope with them in such a way that, someday when we are in our 80s, we can look back and say, "That helped me to grow. Thank you, God, for guiding me through that"?

Remember, it's not what happens to you; it's how you react to what happens to you that makes the difference.

The Old Testament is teeming with individuals who, when faced with a daunting challenge, responded with integrity and faith. The young prophet Daniel was the victim of a "sting operation" (Dan. 6). His enemies plotted against him assiduously. They persuaded King Darius to decree that petitions would only be made to him, knowing that Daniel faithfully prayed to his God. Failure to follow this decree would result in death. Daniel's response was to hold to his usual habit. He went to his house, opened his windows, and three times a day he knelt down and offered prayers and praise to his God. When his actions were reported to the authorities, King Darius reluctantly gave the order to throw Daniel into a pit of ravenous lions. The next morning, the king was elated when Daniel testified that his God had sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths.

Or do you remember Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, the young men who refused to bow down and worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol? Nebuchadnezzar sentenced them to be incinerated in a fiery furnace. But these men had faith and confidence in their God's power. Their response? "The God we serve is able to save us from the fiery furnace, and he will rescue us from your hand" (Dan. 3:17). They kept the faith, and by God's grace were delivered from the flames.

Or what about young David when he went to confront Goliath? He refused the battle attire that was offered to him. Instead, he armed himself with only a sling and five smooth stones. No heavy armor. No spear. No bullets. No cannon balls. Just five rocks. And the Scriptures say: "He came in the name of the Lord" (1 Sam. 17:45).

Daniel prayed. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stayed faithful. David stood up to Goliath in God's name. This is how they responded to perilous, life-altering situations. Had they reacted differently, we, as children, would not have been able to thrill at their courage or, as adults, marvel at their faithfulness. They would have been chewed up, burned up, or beat up.

Sadly, that's the condition of many people's lives today—many Christians' lives. But it doesn't have to be that way.

If you want to experience a life that's full of meaning and faith, consider these three secrets.

Of course, you and I will never find ourselves in a lions' den, a fiery furnace, or in the shadow of a menacing giant—though sometimes it may seem like it. But when an ill wind blows, as it surely will, we can lay claim to the power of God in Christ. We can pray, keep the faith, and then go forth in the name of the Lord.

A Christian Reader original article. Jean W. Sherman lives in State College, Pennsylvania.

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