2 Corinthians 5:1-10
February 1, 2026, 6:50-8:00 PM
Piedmont Gardens, Oakland
All of us here know what we mean by “short-hand.” In my days, I wasn’t allowed to learn short-hand because short-hand writing was taught to girls to become secretaries. We, boys went to wood-working shop!
Today we still use lots of abbreviations to convey a series of words. TGIF became a restaurant. BYO means unless you brought your own wine, you will only drink Coke. If you are caught in traffic, ETA gives your awaiting friends an idea when you will get there. I used to think LOL meant “lots of love,” until my grandchildren corrected me that it means “laughing out loud!”
“TBIYTC” means “the best is yet to come.”
Senior Benefits
Most of us probably didn’t think about being a senior citizen until we became one. We qualified for Social Security and if we are fortunate, we may have a pension from our employment. We enroll in Kaiser Senior Advantage Plan. We ask wherever we visit if there’s a senior rate. One time I was in India when I was only in my 60s and boarded a crowded bus and immediately, 3-4 younger people got up from their seats and invited me to take a seat! They don’t do that around here!
When we live in a culture that always popularize youth and active living, seniors are relegated to the margins as ineffective or unimportant or perhaps positively as trophies on a fireplace mantle to be revered.
After my retirement from FCBC over 11 years ago, I became a senior citizen! I wanted to be an active grandfather to our 6 beautiful grandchildren. Now, our oldest after graduating from college is teaching 1st grade, three are in college, and the last two are in high school. I have fulfilled my goal of being present for our grandkids.
Taking Care of Business
One can’t embrace the thought that TBIYTC unless you take care of business. There are things that only we can address. And when we delay or avoid or neglect these things, we end up burdening the next generation with our unfinished business.
After I retired in 2015, I had a new roof put on our house; no more leaks. Next, we replaced all of our windows to reduce our PG&E bill. With a sound house, we created a living trust and gave copies to our children at our next family reunion. I wrote an addendum that listed other items that my seminary rocking chair will go to our daughter and my father’s Army dog tags will go to our son.
Last summer, with the many items that I recovered from our village house in China, the children and grandchildren in a round-robin order selected relics of China to take home. I can feel our house breathing a sound of being less burdened. I think you know what I mean.
The other major business to take care of is buying final resting real estate. As transplants, Joy from New York City and I from Boston, neither Joy or I wanted to be buried in these places. This was an ongoing quandary for us for many years. After I retired, we visited places in Marin and decided on green burials at Fernwood in Mill Valley. We won’t take up too much real estate but there will be a stone marker for people to visit for as long as people might remember. Having taking care of business that we are responsible for, we are more freed to live life because TBIYTC.
TBIYTC
As I am writing this, I can see a hawk flying outside my window over the bay. It’s gliding around and around without ever flapping its wings. How is that possible? My guess is that the hawk is riding the air streams. It’s not working hard but can still fly and be the hawk that it is.
As seniors, we are no longer working but we are still gliding in life. We are still people with livesworth living.
In a recent UCSF study (SF Chronicle, 6.14.2025) on happiness, it found there are 3 simple things we can do: 1. Listen to laughter. 2. Admire nature on a walk. 3. Do a nice thing for a friend. The conclusion is don’t wait until later, we can be happy on our own volition. You can laugh. You can go on a walk. You can do a nice thing.
I walk about 3 miles almost every day. I walk to downtown Sausalito to meet friends at the bakery to tell a story and listen to their laughter. I admire the falling leaves on the sidewalk and sense the seasons are changing. While a modest thing, I say, “Good morning” to everyone I see on the sidewalk. I am almost always happy when I finish my morning walk.
In another SF Chronicle article (3.16.2025) about aging well, it comes down to 3 key components of a healthy lifestyle: balance, flexibility, and strength training. Experts emphasized it’s never too early for younger adults—or too late for older adults—to adopt some of these exercises. This is the reason there are morning exercises! Added to these things is social connection. To prevent loneliness, we have this worship time.
Last month, a UC Davis study found that “having a sense of purpose in life may lower your risk of developing cognitive impairment—including dementia—by about 28%. Having a purpose in life means different things for different people, but often includes relationships with family and friends, work or volunteering, spirituality or faith, hobbies and learning new skills, and helping others through acts of kindness, philanthropy or advocacy. (SF Chronicle 8.31.2025)
While we may not be flapping our wings now in retirement, we are still gliding to take care of our business when we still can. What might that be for you?
Leaving a Legacy
It’s human to wonder what will happen when we complete our lives on this side of heaven. Will anyone remember me? Will I have made a difference? What is my legacy?
I have been thinking about this too. I wrote a poem, “Before Me and After Me.”
Before Me
Before I became a pastor standing behind a pulpit, I washed pots and pans after a pot-luck meal standing behind the church kitchen sink.
Before I joined the national staff in Valley Forge, I joined First Baptist, Boston upon my baptism.
Before I was elected as ABC President, I was elected as President of the BYF at my home church.
Before I was honored with recognitions, I was only known as Joseph and Lee’s third son.
Before my reputation preceded me, I was already known by my Maker.
We all have stories that formed us in who we are today. These formative years contain the beginnings of who we have become today. I learned to have an orderly life of service and caring. I learned that opportunities led to more opportunities. I learned that I stand on the shoulders of my parents and mentors. I learned that it’s not about me but it has always been about God in my life.
Right now, we also reflect on what may come after we have finished life on earth, in this world. We do this because as Christians, we believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and in turn, we believe in eternal life. It’s not only a subject for youth and young adults to envision what will the future be like, as seniors, we too, have the opportunity to imagine what is to come!
After Me
After I retired from 40 years of paid ministry, my encore career was volunteering on boards and committees.
After 10 years in retirement, I have participated hopefully in a significant way in the lives of our 6 grandchildren.
After 10 years in retirement, God had a sense of humor and disrupted my retirement to serve as the Interim Pastor of Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church.
After I become really old, I hope I will still be loved and wanted.
After I passed in this life, I hope I will be remembered.
After I am no longer in people’s conversations, I hope as the writer of Hebrews said that my descendants will be as numerous as the stars in the night sky and as many as the sands on the beach.
After me will be others who will take up the cause and life will continue as it has since the beginning when God created all things.
6.11.2025
I suspect that if you did this for yourself, you may be more ready to cherish the moment you are in today. When we were younger, we didn’t think or worried about becoming older. When we recognize that there was life before we came into this world and there will be life after we are no longer here is when we can enjoy what we still have.
No longer burdened with earthly matters, we are more capable to see that the best is yet to come. In 2 Corinthians 5:1-10, Paul reminds us that we are living in an earthly tent where we groan under our burdens but in the end, we are confident to be in a heavenly place that God built in Christ Jesus.
The Psalmist in Ps. 136 proclaimed that God’s work in creation and in history, our human history, our personal histories that God’s steadfast love endures forever. For that we give thanks to God of heaven.
Q & A Time
Do you have any questions or comments?
Let us pray.
Dear God, you have blessed us with long life to complete the life purpose that you have given to us. For those with family and descendants, you have created human families to share love and guidance. For all of us who are blessed with friends, companions, and acquaintances to care for us, to keep us engage, and to be in community with, we are thankful for such grace and mercies. Lord, continue to watch over each one of us and remind us that in life on earth, there are still so many things that we may be a part of because in your Spirit, the best is truly still to come. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
The Best Is Yet To Come (TBIYTC)
FCBC Senior Picnic, 9.30.2025, Don Ng
1. What are some of my/our unfinished businesses?
2. Before Me
3. After Me
4. 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Psalms 136
5. What is next for me/for us?