So Old So Young: What prayer can do

I met the mother of my next door neighbor this afternoon. She is about 101 or thereabout. I was completely amazed by her appearance! She looked to be, on the outside, possibly in her late 70s. She was walking with a walker but other than that she had a cheerful and youthful appearance for an older person. This sweet lady had scarcely a wrinkle on her smiling face! And she had a lovely smile. She has a wreath of snow white hair and a twinkle in her eyes. My neighbor's brother helped her walk to my neighbors apartment. Margie is 76 and looks much younger. Her brother is 12 years younger, 64, and I thought he was a lot younger too. And then there is me. I am 60 and a lot of folks guess my age at mid to late 40s which pleases me no end. :-) And what is the secret to this youthful appearance? I used to think it was my Dutch blood as more than one person has told me that the Dutch age well. But now I think I have found the secret to looking younger. It is not a face cream or a laser treatment. It is not a face lift or a hair dye. It is PRAYER. Margie told me her mom prays all the time. I do that as well. What would my own life be without prayer? Pretty dismal, you could bet on that! So there you have it! It is prayer that is the best wrinkle cream of all! It is the smile of a praying person that keeps those wrinkles away. I always knew that prayer was a blessing. I have had more than enough trauma in my life and yet my blood pressure is normal. I know prayer helps release stress. What a blessing. Not that I need any excuse to pray! Prayer is a joy rather than a burden for me and has been a blessing many times over. And who knew that the best antidote for an aging appearance would be to pray all the time? It makes me happy to see a beautiful and youthful looking lady who has passed the century mark in her life --- and to see the living result of a life of prayer. God bless her. And thank you Jesus for my new apartment and surrounding me with Christian neighbors. 

SAC