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 would you welcome, Debbie Putman:

Fifty-nine. 59. However I write it, the number represents the years of my life.

59 puts me in different categories. In some places, like Denny’s and AMC Theatres, I get a senior discount. I became officially old enough to retire four years ago. But I can’t collect Medicare until I’m 62. And a half. Some places don’t consider me a senior citizen until I’m 65. My mom still thinks I’m her baby. My husband thinks of me as both his young bride and the woman he’s been married to for almost 38 years, our entire adult life.

Do all of these numbers confuse you? They often confuse me. I finally decided to admit I’m MOLD, between Middle-aged and OLD. Kind of like the seventh graders I teach are considered tweens, between child and teen.

I like the idea of MOLD. Not mold like what grows on crusty old bread.  But a woman still willing and able to let my God MOLD me into whomever He wants me to become. It took most of my fifties to change from mold into MOLD.

I looked forward to my fifties. I had enough experience to face anything and enough time to enjoy all life still offered. My to-do list for my fifties included comfort and fun.

God knew my plan meant I would become that crusty, old bread covered with mold.  He wanted better for me.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

    neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Before ugly, destructive mold sprouted, He allowed changes in my life. Changes I neither wanted nor expected. I fought every one. I argued, cried, prayed, and stubbornly rejected life not going according to my perfect little plan. I refused to be content with the changes forced on me: my oldest daughter walked away from God and her family, financial pressures, my husband’s depression over losing a good friend and a business venture that never got off the ground, my youngest daughter forced to leave her husband and move herself, two of my grandchildren,and their dog in with us. I convinced myself if I kept praying and looking to God, He would put my little world back the way I wanted it.

God, in His great love and mercy, did not allow me to become a crusty piece of bread covered with mold. Instead, He MOLDed me into someone with a much softer heart. Never one with patience for mess, clutter, or people who didn’t have it all together, God gave me opportunities to learn compassion, kindness, and patience first-hand.

I learned spending hours at the bedside of my daughter, Kimberly, as she fought rare complications from her Juvenile Diabetes, eventually losing all the toes on her left foot and then, at 32, passing away. God changed me from an impatient woman, to one who willingly helped and cared for someone else.

I learned while my daughter, Erin, my grandson, Zach, and my granddaughter, Katie lived with us that perfectly made beds are not as much fun as those you jump on together. And if you don’t make the bed at all, life still goes on—with gusto and laughter.

I learned when the team of teachers I worked with for years changed, that if I listened to the ideas of others, even if they have less experience, they support me when I need it.

I learned I don’t need a perfect life. Or my idea of a perfect life.

I need God. He’s all I need. He never leaves. He holds me close. He wipes away my tears. He fills me with peace.

MOLD me, God. You are the potter. I am the clay.

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photoI am Debbie Putman, 59 years old. I’ve been married to Van for 37 years. We have two grown daughters: Kimberly, who went to be with Jesus 5 years ago at 32, and Erin, now 35. Our grandchildren are Zachary, 13, Katie, 11, and Robyn, 10. I teach seventh grade English and History in Rancho Cucamonga, California. I love the beach, birds, reading, writing, baking cookies, and God’s Word.

 

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Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily. She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets. Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl. Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.

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