God has recently been telling me, “Give it away” and that is just what I am doing! I’ve invited some beautiful souls from my favorite Facebook community for women in the 50+ season of life, The Consilium: a Gathering of Wisdom and Grace. Enjoy the words from their hearts and, if you don’t mind, would you leave a comment to encourage them? Feel free to join us over at The Consilium – we would love to see you there!
Today I would like for you to meet Kim Adam:
I turned 50 years old this year and it’s not what I expected.
I thought 50 was the time to take it easy. My kids would be grown and I could slow down, ready to ease gently into my declining years. I’d spend my days rocking on the front porch, sipping iced tea, reading a book or dispensing wisdom to my grandchildren. No more worrying about how I looked, because who really looks at a 50-year-old lady? I’d wear yoga pants all the time, eschew makeup, and maybe start baking, because don’t all grandmotherly ladies in their middle years wear aprons and bake cookies? No pressures anymore, just time to rest and enjoy whatever years I had left. After all, I’d be too old to do anything exciting like write books, go on mission trips or sing on a worship team, right?
Life has a way of turning our expectations upside down.
I’m not even close to finished raising my kids – I still have a 10-year-old and a 13-year-old in the house. Life is racing ahead at full speed around here. Slowing down? Not hardly.
I do still care about how I look, and probably more than I should. My body and face are playing some mean tricks on me as a result of bad choices earlier in life (wear sunscreen, kids) but I try to see my imperfections as interesting battle scars. Makeup is my friend, and I am merciless to my hair as I seek the cut and color that will enable me to be chic and age appropriate yet not make me look older. It’s a fine line I walk there.
I can’t believe I once imagined this time in my life was time to basically give up. Yes, I get tired. But there is so much more life to live. Why did I think God would be finished using me once I hit the half-century mark? I’m not ready to settle yet.
Brendan Manning wrote about something called “Settler Theology”. He says that “there are two views of life and two kinds of people. Some see life as a possession to be carefully guarded. They are SETTLERS. Others see life as a fantastic, wild, explosive gift. They are PIONEERS.” (source here)
Settlers are like people who set out on a journey but somewhere along the way they stop. At first they think they’ll just stop to rest and then continue on. But before they know it years have passed and they’re still at the rest stop, so they decide that this place is good enough, and they settle there. They stop before they ever reach the finish line. There could have been something fantastic farther on but they’ll never see it. Maybe they’re tired and they just don’t have the energy to pack it all up and get going again. Maybe they convince themselves they’ll be happy enough right where they are. Maybe the unknown feels unsafe. Maybe they think they’re too old. For whatever reason, forward motion stops.
But the Pioneers…they do just what their name implies. They keep discovering new things and blazing new trails. They aren’t content to stop and settle down because there is still too much out there to be done. Life is a wild adventure surrounded by a glittering cloud of mystery. Why would anyone want to settle in one place when there is so much more to see and do? The undiscovered continually beckons them on.
Friends, let’s not settle just yet. He’s not done with us. Let’s keep moving forward and discovering new things about the world, our God and ourselves as we seek Him and His will for us. There is no age limit to serving God or being a Pioneer, unless it’s self-imposed. Don’t you think it’s high time we strike the words “too old” from our vocabulary? As long as we draw breath God can still use us.
I’m glad I was wrong about 50. It’s not the end. It’s a new beginning.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2a
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Kim Adam is a wife, mom and grandmother who is in love with words and believes that nothing is wasted in God’s economy. As a recovering perfectionist, she relies on God’s grace to get through each and every day and cherishes knowing that He loves her imperfect self just the way she is. Born and bred in the South, she is a grammar and spelling nerd who still thinks “y’all” should be considered a proper noun. She loves irony and seeing the humor in life, and especially enjoys laughing at herself. She blogs at www.onerebelheart.wordpress.com, and you can find heron Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/onerebelheart and Twitter as @onerebelheart.
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“I turned 50 years old this year and it’s not what I expected.
I thought 50 was the time to take it easy. My kids would be grown and I could slow down, ready to ease gently into my declining years. I’d spend my days rocking on the front porch, sipping iced tea, reading a book or dispensing wisdom to my grandchildren.”
Yes, I thought that too. But God turned my world upside down as well. Now, I say I’m MOLD-between middle age and old, and I long to be MOLDed by Him into who He wants me to be…every day until He takes me home.
Beautiful words. Thank you.
Kim,
This is great inspiration! Here’s to being a Pioneer and to moving forward for God, with his perseverance! Amen!
I am 48, and I have an 11yo and a 14yo still to raise. Although my body wants to slow down and stay in hibernation mode most days, I am thankful for the reminder that God isn’t finished with me yet and that there is still much for me to accomplish. Blessings!
I enjoyed this journey with you, Kim. Beautiful.
I remember when I turned 50 (yes I had the “over-the-hill party complete with depends). I have enjoyed my 50’s. Oh the adventure of it all! Turning 50 gave me the power to reach out and grab life while moving in the joy of it all (my children were 12 and 16 at the time).
In February I turn 60. SIXTY! I told my husband and he said, “Honey, no big deal. When you turn 62 and get that Social Security check, now that’s a big deal.” Oh……the times they are a changing.
Thank you for your post, girl. You know how to craft those words and weave something beautiful. yours…..
~ Chris ~
I just love you to pieces, lady! I’m glad you’ve taken 50 and written and loved and set an example of encouragement.
Very inspiring perspective Kim!! I am 55, married to a man who is 68.. I went through a stage wondering if this was the end of my “pioneer” days… I sought the Lord and though my body and my days are slower, the Lord is actually forging a new path filled with beauty, fruit and peace as I never could have imagined.. I like this-I am a pioneer!!
I love this…pioneer… No settler here… My husband and I talk about this often… We see people our age and older settling in to retired life… We want to be strong finishers… We have a big age spread with our 5 kids… 32-18 … This is part of what has kept us moving forward… And a new season is getting ready for us…completely being empty nesters… A new chapter to be written… Pioneering on!!!!
fifty is the new forty and YOU are putting meaning into that cliche. Thanks for sharing
Hey Kim…I’m 64 and a pioneer… I like the 2 alternative types you suggested.
Once I heard it put this way: some arrive at an oasis and think this is it and camp there forever, while others keep going until they find the source of all the oasis’
I still care what I look like, although my kids are long grown but I still love spending time with teens as they are my life’s passion. I hope I never grow out of loving working with them.
Thanks for your post…good food for thought.