Golden Years

 

Gina Arnold drives her daughter, Audrey, to Marina Village Middle School in El Dorado Hills, California.  One morning, Audrey asked to be dropped off a block from the school, instead of at the front of the school.  Questioning the purpose of the request, Audrey told her mother that she wanted to talk to the “cute old man that talked to the students before school.”  Gina decided to check things out before granting her daughter’s request.  The next day, they stopped at the corner and both got out of the car.  There were kids talking to Wally Richardson, a 94-year-old vet.  He was sharing life lessons and giving advice to the kids as they were about to begin their school day.  One of his “Wally-isms” was “Be kind whenever possible.”  He would often remind the students, “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much…unless you do what’s right.  The students call Wally “Mr. Knuckles” because he gives them fist bumps.  Richardson has been sharing his Wally-isms since 2008.  In those early years, Wally and his wife would eat breakfast and then go to the corner to visit with the students.  Since dealing with some health issues, his wife can no longer join him.  Wally does this every school day, “Because I want to share more kindness with the world and the best thing to do that is start with the young ones.  I want them to retain something they can take in life later on.”  Gina was grateful that Audrey asked to be let out on the corner so she, too, could meet Mr. Knuckles.  She stated, “As a parent, knowing that what I’m trying to instill in my kids is actually being promoted as I drop them off…is one of the best feelings I could ever have.”  Cheryl Olson, school superintendent commented, “It takes one significant adult in a kid’s life and you can impact them forever, and Wally is that person with kids.”

While some 90-year-olds might be slowing down, Bonnie Engle is staying busy making quilts for needy families in Oregon.  Bonnie lives at Desert Sage Manor in Hermiston.  Twenty years ago, she started making quilts for the Hermiston Police Department’s annual Christmas Express that provides gifts, food, and other resources for the people in her community.  Bonnie has made over 2,000 quilts to donate to the police department.  This past year, 100 quilts were made to give away to those in need.  When interviewed, Bonnie expressed, “It feels good to do something for them.  Thank you to the community for the donations of the fabric, that’s really something that’s very important.”

 

So grateful God continues to use people of all ages to make a difference for His Kingdom’s work.  May we, too, be willing to use our words, talents, and resources to bless others.

 

 

Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Romans 12:13

 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10