What Being 61 Is and Should Be About

I was married at the age of 23. I think my husband Steve knew I was very leery about turning 30 and no longer being young. He wrote me a beautiful poem that reveals me as someone who has been richly blessed by the grace of God. 31 years later I still wonder how he saw those things in me. We were living in California. We had dealt with infertility and we were waiting for the arrival of our baby daughter we were adopting from Korea.

At the age of 40 I remember walking through the house saying repeatedly "I am 40. I am 40." I didn't want to be someone who modeled disregard for God's grace in front of my children. My husband arranged a conference call involving a number of my friends whose lives I had touched as they had touched mine. That was part of my birthday gift. We were living in Nebraska. We had adopted 2 children from Korea, and much to my surprise I had given birth to 2 children.

When I turned 50, almost 5 years had passed since I had undergone treatment for breast cancer and my 5 years of the drug tamoxifen was soon to end. I had experienced the sustaining grace of God as I dealt with the C. word and for a time the end of normal life. We were living in Vermont.

When I turned 60 the 4 children we had waited and prayed for had lives of their own even though their lives still wove in and out of ours. How do you wisely be the parent of an adult? We were living in Virginia and God's grace was the glue that kept our lives from flying apart during the rough times and our eyes focused even remotely in the right direction during the daily times.

Some times I look at myself and wonder how I can ever hope to change in certain areas. (Haven't I always been like this?) How can I expect to be more diligent in prayer or Bible study? Will I ever be better at housekeeping? Can I ever be better organized? At 61 Isn't it just too many years of not doing things right? Thankfully I can not forget God's grace. It's by God's grace I can love my husband better. It's by God's grace I can use my tongue for his glory and not for his dishonor. These as well as many other things can grow, change and improve because Jesus will continue his good work in me and through me by his grace until I draw my last breath and he takes me home.

Comments

  1. optillheavenFebruary 10, 2010 at 6:11 PM

    Ah, Joanie. So many years have passed since our lives crossed. Reading your article here brought it all back and reminded me of how many decades have passed. I could wish for another "crossing." I appreciated your prolific and questioning mind and enjoyed our contacts so much. And now you have grown in wisdom and experience. I'm looking forward to reading more from your pen.

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