“A nice round number,” that was one of the more comforting things said to me as I hit another annual milestone. Getting Old Ain’t For Wimps, is the title of a book given to me that I suppose is intended to provide cheer as I venture into this new decade of existence. A mini-yellow-construction placard with the words, “Caution! Senior Moment in Progress,” was yet another gift to mark my upward climb to moderate senility. There was some kindness extended to me on the arrival of my sixtieth plateau. A wonderful gathering of friends with cake and ice cream was a nice surprise. One congregant even commented that he didn’t think I looked more than 50 or maybe 52. At one point in my life that would have disturbed me greatly. But now, a certain appreciation for things “mature” is increasingly more to my liking. I also received a phone call from grandchildren and their parents simultaneously singing to me “Happy Birthday;” it was highlighted by the 3, 5 and 8 year old reciting the books of the OT up to Isaiah. Now that will warm the cackles of your heart! I must confess, I do have a little sign taped to a file cabinet in my office that has been there for at least eight years which has now become my firmly established life motto: Things get better with age…I must be approaching magnificent. I’ll leave it to the reader to concur or fuss with this last sentiment. But you know getting older beats the alternative. I also heard it said that the older you get the more you help establish the statistical tendency that only living people help extend the actuarial tables. I find my greatest consolation from a man who lived a lot longer than I have and accomplished a great deal more as well. He helps put into perspective life, living and the observations we make as we move along. Moses wrote, So teach us to number our days that we might present unto you a heart of wisdom. I find it comforting that Moses focused on “days” rather than years. After all, no matter how many years we live, we only proceed one day at a time through the calendar or our lives. But more than that, as we proceed, Moses was praying that we might present an offering back to God for enabling us to grow older. The gift is a heart of wisdom obtained on the altar of a twenty-four hour clock. The result, I believe, is a heart and life that’s just a little bit wiser with each passing day. At least that’s Moses take on it.