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| Me at three |
My sixtieth birthday bothered me more than other milestone birthdays. It is strange to realize that even though I've always thought of old as 30 years older than my current age, I'm on the cusp. Confidentially, it helps that I have friends that a few years older than I am. I've been watching as they gracefully meet the challenges that our sixties bring. Some of those challenges are ones that have blindsided them.
Maybe that is why I've felt bothered. My fifties rather blindsided me.
My fifties decade was punctuated by breast cancer, Covid, children flying the nest, moving to a new home, financial burdens, and strained relationships that are now healed. All very difficult things. BUT GOD.
God prepared me for the decade by helping me to be immersed in the Word. I started using YouVersion, now Bible.com, to listen through the Bible in 2011. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17. It was my friend, Deb in Florida, that originally challenged me to one of their reading plans. I had no idea that I would get addicted to listening to the Word! It became a big deal for me to read or listen ahead of the plan. I guess it's probably similar to a dopamine hit. God used that to transform my thinking.
Why did this make a difference? Oh that's probably a blog post in itself.
Most importantly, when a wrong thought came into my head or was spoken to me, I immediately had scripture, even if it was a fragment, that popped into my head to refute it.
I never went through the why me stage of mourning my cancer; because, "It rains on the just and the unjust," Matthew 5:45. The first moment I had the thought, that verse immediately and automatically course corrected my thinking. Thank you Jesus!
This is what it means to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind". Romans 12:2
You know the strangest thing about turning sixty? It bothered me a lot until...
I woke up on my birthday feeling free and happy! A new decade! A new start! I am so blessed to begin another year—especially after my fifties. That was over a month ago, and I still like being sixty.
God is so good to me. That will never change. Now, what shall I do next?
Your fifties sounded similar to mine. My sixties were awesome and I’m 71 now and so far so good. You have a wonderful attitude and of course being able to put everything in perspective helps us, knowing who we belong to and where we will be spending our eternity with.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you!
Like you, 50 to 60 was a hard decade. I, too, had breast cancer just after turning 50. Now that I'm a little over 70 (yes, the 60s go quicker than the 502 - ha), I can God's faithfulness even more with each year. His Word does transform our minds and reins in our thinking when we're heading in the wrong direction. Blessings in this new decade!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! The 60’s have been good to me so far, but I know what you mean about the big milestone birthday. I’m going to check out the Bible reading you recommended. I think I will like something like that.
ReplyDeleteJust another day to be thankful. I turned 70 last birthday - and I am so grateful. I am healthy and in decent shape - so life is a joy.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday - make the most of it!
You have been through so much and weathered it with grace, you are blessed of the Lord. Remember that, oh child of the most high!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it wonderful how the Lord uses all things to bring us closer to Him. It's in the hard times and the lessons of trusting Him to get through them that makes us grow in faith and slowly works in your transformation.
ReplyDeleteI will be 80 in two more months and it seems old . . . I've noticed it more since my resent fall and how the old body doesn't bounce back as fast as it once did. I do know that each day that I'm alive here on earth, He will be right beside me guiding and helping me along :)
I do have to say that I'm looking forward to a new transformed body without pain and illness :)
I'm 65 and I am enjoying it immensely. I have finally gotten to the point where I don't feel the need to explain myself to others. ie. wanting to stay home instead of go, go, going all of the time.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you describe listening to the Word. It IS transforming.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy
My sixties started in 2017, which included my son having many medical issues, one after another (starting with losing left leg to mid calf in 2015), then strokes for my father and his death within 5 month period in Aug 2018, with his funeral taking place day after Hurricane Michael came thru our area in SW GA at Cat 4, followed by serious cancer diagnosis of my mother months after father passed, with her following him in Nov 2019. With my son continuing surgeries and issues, losing right leg to mid thigh, many infections, some he was hospitalized with, on and on until after a great summer 2024 [even though he lost left pinky and right mid. finger to 1st joint], my son 'caught a bad cold' which he was self treating against my better judgement but he was stubborn and it was really double pneumonia with 3 different 'killer' bacteria in his lungs. Sadly, within 2 weeks of thinking he had 'bad cold' he was rushed to ER, with seizures and acute anoxic brain injury, never waking up again, intubated, declared brainstem dead 3rd day in CCU, and passed on his own 10/17/2024 [day before we were going to disconnect ventilator] on his own 20 minutes after I left to go meet my sister who traveled 7 hours to be with me at this sad event/time. My only child, my son Mike, was only 44 years old. My own medical issues cropping up the last few years, though all have been manageable, there might be a new one brewing up for me, which I am awaiting appt with specialist now and dental work [alot] on horizon as well. I was many good times through all these years, but much more sadness than I wanted to bear. The grief for my son has been heartbreakingly hard but I live day to day as best I can. All those 'firsts' I have gone through since my son passed have been difficult, but I still work full time and that helps as does my church grief group and pray. I am not looking toward October when it will be 1st anniversary of his passing, 2 days after my 68th bday. I still remember he had planned to take me out for my birthday early on Sat 10/12 and I instead spent that day in his room in CCU, reading the bible to him and just being with him, in his endless un-waking sleep (unconscious and unresponsive and I knew then he was braindead from the incident he suffered on Tuesday Oct 8th. I had talked on phone with him at 12:50 PM from work, checking on him and he SOUNDED good and sounded like he was finally throwing off some of the 'cold' but he collapsed at 2:30 PM in his apartment). I know that I will see Mike, and my parents one day... Dawn P. Albany, GA
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday miss Laura.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy each day as the gift it is.
This decade has taken it's toll on many.
If I didn't have God I wouldn't have survived it.
He renews and refreshed us.
Happy Happy Birthday! I turned 65 and went on SS and Medicare. It doesn't upset me but the thought that has been in my head is that many of my friends have died in their early 70's. Life is short and I want to do what He has for me even though I am grounded by a genetic disease that keeps me home most of the time.
ReplyDeleteI am feeling a bit at odds as I approach my 70"s - that shall be in December - but as you said with God on our side and his word to get us through each day - it will indeed be the start of a decade to be blessed by! Thank you for this inspiring post, Laura.
ReplyDeleteThe picture of you is adorable! :) Thank you for such an encouraging post, how blessed we are to have God and His word. I will be joining you as a member of the 60's club in a couple of weeks, not sure how I feel about that just yet ha ha. Hope you have a blessed week.
ReplyDeleteAngela