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DMcFadden · #55 (**permalink**) 03-05-2008, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel Ritchie

I never understand why people who are 55 or 60 refer to themselves as "middle-aged", after all, how many 110 or 120 year old people do you know?

Hey, I just had a 101 year old pass away last week in my retirement community. Remember, some of us don't hang out with kids all the time. According to the OED, middle age is "... the period between youth and old age, about 45 to 60." Others use the delimiters of 40-60.

As a 54 year old, I just found it fun that Michael said:

Quote:

The Idea is that the younger woman marry or if widowed remarry and raise a family and serve the lord... especially since the young burn with passion..

I agree with Michael's point, but enjoyed the implication that those widows who were not "young" would not have a problem with "passion." As a middle-aged person, it is comforting to know that we (both males and females) do not need to worry about that kind of stuff any longer. During my pastoral years, many of the marriage-ending affairs that I became aware of were for people who were "middle aged." One of my mentors in ministry was eventually caught (unfortunately by my testimony) having triple digit affairs/assignations (yes, as in more than 99!) and he "began" his downward practice at age 45. I am also aware of numerous of our octagenarians here who ask their docs for ED pills (e.g., Viagra, etc.).

As to the substance of the thread. Yes to deacons, based on the somewhat unspecific instructions in the Pastorals regarding the status of the "wives" of Deacons.