daily java

Daily Java: 

Now that I am old and gray, do not abandon me, O God. Let me proclaim your power to this new generation, your mighty miracles to all who come after me. (Psalm 71:18)

I have grown my beard now for almost a month and it is still so white that is is hard to see. I can see it up close, but move back a ways and it kind of blends in.

It is still as thick as it was, but it was so dark and full. Now it is white with bits of dark in it.

I am not sure what I am going to do yet, whether I will grow it or cut it back into a goatee. I have had one of those for the past seven years.

But I wanted a beard. I just never expected to look like Santa Claus.

I remember one other man, the director of my seminary, who grew a beard and was startled that it was so absolutely white. I don’t know what he thought. His hair was extremely white so it was unlikely his bear would come in dark. But still, it is a surprise.

Now I can be John the GrayBeard. That sound kind of cool, kind of wise and official.

Of course, I am still unemployed and no one really cares, but at least it sounds good.

I think I will keep it for a while and see what develops. Ella is not real keen on it. She always liked my beard, but she took to the goatee with surprising enthusiasm. She hated it back in the 1970’s, but I suppose that was because I was the only guy with one for a while.

I do notice that in my Bible search, there are no reference to gray beards in the Bible anywhere. That is interesting since most of the Bible people had them, especially Old Testament people. And since they respected age, you would think they would mention them.

But no. Nowhere to be found. I will have to be a Gray Beard with no Biblical authorization.

What a rebel.