I know I have arrived at old age. My sons are now parenting me—and I don’t particularly like it!

Over and over, son Jon has warned me about wearing flip flops and open toed bedroom slippers. Over and over son Joe has warned me about being careful navigating my basement stairs. Over and over son Jeff has had to come and spend time caring for me when I have injured myself. Over and over, I have chosen to do as I pleased—continuing to wear what I want to wear and do what I want to do.

My lack of humility finally caught up with me.

The plastic boxes containing Christmas decorations needed to be moved to the basement. No one had been by the house to help me. “I can move them myself,” I said, as I took the first one. Trying to avoid carrying it down the stairs since carrying heavy items is against the “rules,” I decided to pull them down as I headed down backward. Bad choice! Wearing my favorite loose slippers, I tripped and fell the last three steps and landed hard on my behind scattering Christmas decorations helter-skelter.

Terror filled my heart! I had just been released from my doctor who performed back surgery in September with a warning that I had further degeneration in my lower spine and that I should be careful. “What have I done in my haste?” I asked myself.

I immediately texted son Joe who lives nearby: “Come and get me up!” As I sat there crying, I thought about that poor woman in the commercial who calls, “Help me! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” That was me!

As Joe and his wife Heather arrived and gently helped me to stand, I was aware of pain in my left hip, left hand, and left ankle. No lower back pain—yet. Then began the ice—Joe’s remedy. The Arnica—daughter-in-law Stephanie’s remedy. The Aleve—Heather’s remedy. Woe is me! I am old!

A family prayer request went out from my phone, “Please pray! I’ve fallen!”

Fortunately, they were right. The prayer and the remedies worked. No lasting damage. Praise the Lord!

As I sat down the next morning and read the meditation from “Fixing My Eyes on Jesus” by Anne Graham Lotz, I was convicted! “Be Humble” was the title. She wrote about Peter’s unwillingness to be served by Jesus. (John 13:3-6)

“Peter was unwilling to humble himself and allow Jesus to do something for him . . . His attitude was typical of you and me. It can be a serious wound to our pride to be served. Whose offer of help are you refusing for prideful reasons? Are you refusing to even admit you need any help at all. . . God clearly commands us in Scripture to ‘humble yourselves (James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6) Be obedient to His command. Express your obedience in a willingness to be served.”

Wow! That hit me right where it hurts–literally! I was further reminded in Proverbs 16:18:

“Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 NKJV)

That was me! Prideful and haughty! I’ve learned my lesson! No more flip flops and no more stair climbing loaded with boxes!

Woe is me! My sons have become my daddy!

On the other hand, being served may be o.k. I’ll just sit back and let them wait on me. After all, I waited on them for a long time! LOL

Thank you, Lord, for my precious family—every single one of them!! Thank you for continuing to teach me with your Word! Forgive my prideful, impatient ways!

What about you? Ever suffered bad consequences because of pride? I’d love to hear from you!

P.S. This morning’s meditation brought new hope:

“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
Shall flourish in the courts of our God.
They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and ^[flourishing,
To declare that the Lord is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” (Psalm 92:13-15 NKJV)

“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob,
all you who remain in Israel.
I have cared for you since you were born.
Yes, I carried you before you were born.
I will be your God throughout your lifetime—
    until your hair is white with age.
I made you, and I will care for you.
    I will carry you along and save you. (Psalm 92:13-15 NKJV)

Even though we may be getting older and need some help along the way, the Lord isn’t through with us yet! There’s still work to do, and He has promised to take care of us—if we will let him—sometimes through the helping hands of others!