AGING WITH GRACE INTRODUCTION - Women's Fellowship & Study

Today, we are gathering for fellowship & study.  We are women of the "Afternoon of Life", that is we are women who are between 56 and 83+ years old. We are retired from our lifetime of work, but we have more to live for, more to give, and more to share, even though our society does not honor women of our age.  

Whether you are with us in person, or following online, know that we're glad you're here. If you have a comment or question for me, please leave it at the end of this post or if you want to share a more in-depth experience or ask questions, you can contact me at sboback54@gmail.com.

It is my hope and prayer that you find encouragement through the website, the posts of discussion and our Lord.  There are enough places around the Lord's table, so pull up a chair. 

The book is Aging with Grace which we will discuss and add our own life experiences.  There are many resources available with this study, which we will draw from and use appropriately for our group.  

Take a minute and watch this introduction video from the authors, and then follow along here with my own comments and points of interest. 

The goal of Women's Fellowship & Study is to provide a safe comfortable space for women to gather where we can share our lives, our joys and concerns, as well as learn how to flourish, even though we are aging physically and mentally. (Page 71 of AWG).  

You may want to keep a journal for your thoughts and answers to the questions.   There is not a test.  Only you can answer the questions as we each look at our life. You will be encouraged to write your own story - no, not a book - but your story will help you "to age with grace, to flourish in old age."

Here are questions to ask yourself, but keep in mind its OK if you don't feel like sharing the answers with everyone in the group.  Maybe its even difficult to answer the questions to yourself.  If you decide to read your story (based on these questions) aloud, keep in mind that your answers should be short sentences, so that you're not talking more that 5 minutes.  

What was life like for me as a young girl?

Tell about your family

What is something you have learned about the Lord that you wish you had known at a young age?

What is your greatest joy?

What is your greatest fear or concern in this season of life?

What is a scripture that is special to you?

Do you have a favorite hymn?

The answers may change as you grow in your faith and learn about how to flourish at an older age. There's no right or wrong - this is about you and your life.   

There are many scriptures shared that point us to flourishing.   Psalm 103:15 "life is like a mist or a blade of grass"   or Isaiah 40:8 "grass withers, flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever."

If you think of a blade of grass, it is one among many, many, many.  We don't usually see it by itself do  we? unless its growing in the crack of the sidewalk.  While it is a living thing, did it create itself? How does it survive? Even the air, the sun, water, the nutrients in the soil which a blade of grass needs to survive, are created by God. The grass withers, but God and His Word will stand forever.  

QUESTION #1: Do you desire to Fluorish? what does that mean?  Fluorish is to thrive, in a healthy and vigorous way.  

TODAY IS THE DAY TO FLUORISH! Remember that we are not running this race alone, so let's gather together as women in fellowship and learn to Fluorish even when we don't see how to do that!  Let's no longer depend on the world to prepare us for this "Afternoon of Life" because the world cannot give us hope! (Page 17)

QUESTION #2: Have the older women that have been an influence in your life been "life-givers" or "life-takers"?

MY PERSONAL REFLECTION: My maternal grandmother was a "life-giver". She was quiet yet caring; helpful; teaching; and she shared some concerns with me about my life choices when I was 17.  I'll never forget that she told me that even though I had a beautiful diamond ring, "the diamond doesn't make the marriage." 

My aunt/Godmother was another influence, like a second mother.  She could see relationships like I could not.  She had a protecting attitude towards me, perhaps because she did not have any daughters of her own, yet I knew her concern and love was genuine. 

Another relative excelled in everything she set out to do.  She was quite confident, and to me, then a child, I couldn't think of how to talk to her or relate to anything she said or did. 

QUESTION #3: Now after thinking about the life-givers or takers, do you think about yourself in either way? 

MY PERSONAL REFLECTION: I could see myself as a good, supportive person, and I didn't ever want to portray myself as the know-it-all personality. 

I asked myself, "I'm not old, am I?  I'm not quite there yet am I, at 72?  I'm being reluctant and uncertain.   I have grey hair, no longer working, slowing down physically, not contributing as much." These are the world view of aging, but not with grace.  If I keep focusing on these obvious qualities, I will face fear, dread and denial.  Will that be healthy for me? (AWG)

We're back to QUESTION #1 again. "Do you want to fluorish?"  Yes I say!  Yes!  How about you?

"AGING WITH GRACE" will teach us how to flourish from this day forward.  HOW?  We will fluorish around God's table in community with other women.

"AGING WITH GRACE" is not a list of ideas or formulas

WHAT IF:  we are supposed to discover who we really are or have been since the 1st half of our life?

It’s OK to look back at our lives.  I've got about 69 years of memory (3 y.o. is my first memories) Sometimes its hard not to replay events that we may have not completely healed from; or that we didn't understand; or that remain unresolved.  But here's the thing: the authors of AWG tell us, encourage us, that it’s OK to look back but don't stay in the past! If we're going to look backwards, then let's immediately THANK the Lord for what He has done to pull us through.   Don't Linger in the past - do you do that? be honest with yourself - only look back so you can go forward!

This really hit home with me.  Every now and again, I find myself thinking about my life as a single parent of three; going to college and working to have a better life to raise my children.  I think about how much time has passed and some things aren't resolved.  

The hope I have found: its OK to look back at my life for the purpose of PRAISING the Lord for what He has done to bring me this far; AND What am I going to do with the time I have left?  We will learn this from Women of the Bible and the scriptures.

To summarize this Introduction to Aging with Grace, we have had life givers and lifetakers in our life.  We look backwards at harder times, but we have the Lord to thank for getting us past those times, don't we?   We aren't running this Aging race alone, because we have each other, we have community.  So we ask ourselves: Do we want to Fluorish - to thrive in a healthy vigorous way?  Or do we want to be stuck in the past and let the world's view of an older woman dictate our thoughts with denial, fear and dread?  

FLUORISH together in community? or LIVE IN THE PAST in Fear and dread?

Read our focus verses.  Get to know them - the Lord has given His plan for us in these verses.  

Check out the links by clicking on the colored words.   

Follow along for more of Aging with Grace.  

Write in your journal, or do some doodling to reflect on Psalm 92:12-15

Here’s a bookmark you could make about Psalm 92.  If you got a book from me, then you'll be getting a bookmark. 

                                            

                                                

I gathered some cedar branches and wrapped each piece in packaging tape so it was sealed. You could use a laminator instead if you wish. 

I added the Psalm on one side, and my paraphrase on the reverse.  Fill in the blank with your name.  

                                                

                                                

Thank the Lord for his lovingkindness and fellowship in community.   

Be Blessed! sb