AGING WITH GRACE - INTRO & CHAPTER 1

Hello there! Welcome to Women's Fellowship and Study.  We're in the "Afternoon of Life" since we are in our mid 50's to 85+ years old.   Pull up a chair - there's room in our community around the LORD's table. 

AGING WITH GRACE or AWG, written by Sharon W. Betters and Susan Hunt, who themselves were in the Afternoon of Life, often talked about how hard it is to flourish at this stage of life, when they have physical changes that keep them from participating like they once did.  

The focus of AWG and our fellowship/study is PSALM 92:12-14 

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,

    they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;

13 

planted in the house of the Lord,

    they will flourish in the courts of our God.

14 

They will still bear fruit in old age,

    they will stay fresh and green,

15 

proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;

    he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.

There is so much in the book AGING WITH GRACE, which you can get here at the Revive Our Hearts ministries or through Amazon. (Aging with Grace photo art - used by permission. Photos by Susan Boback.)

The interview of the authors is here, a 28-minute listen which gives an overview of the AWG book. 

Can I be completely candid?  I thought Aging with Grace was referring to a graceful attitude, being able to move gracefully despite falling last year or being dizzy now and then.   I loved the idea of gliding through the days ahead, knowing that I could be more graceful!  Funny.  But thinking about the grace I want to have in movement, it isn't too far from the GRACE of Aging and a relationship with Jesus, is it?  With Jesus, I have "goodness and mercy".   I have his "grace is sufficient".  These both refer to movement also, in that a relationship with the LORD is alive, and it cannot be something I can do by myself.

Now I'm wondering, what do you think of the title - Aging With Grace?  You can be honest. Its a good place to start.

So Gracefully, I will look to the Lord for His Mercy and Love as we come a little closer to Him in this stage of life.  Let's continue the discussion.  

Our Opening Prayer today is:

We are addressing the Lord our God.   

Heavenly Father: Your word IS a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.  Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You, I will wait all the day long. You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.  (Psalms 119: 105; 25:4-5; Acts 2:28) AWG

Being in fellowship with others takes getting to know one another - we start out strangers, all come from different walks of life, different upbringings - and get to know one another as women of God, coming together in our Afternoon of Life.  

#1. Choose one thing that explains who you are; then in one sentence, tell why this item explains you right now.  

Here's some examples:  a hiking boot, a recipe book, a library book, a potted plant, a notebook, a pillow, a bag of bird food, a musical instrument, keys to a vehicle, bicycle helmet.   You can pick one of these or your own.   

For readers, write this statement in a journal, and then return to it at a later date, when you might decide that your item is changing.

Here's mine: 

Recipe Book. I enjoy baking with my garden produce, zucchini, and something for my husband every week, plus smaller versions to share with others. SB

What's yours?

#2. Sharon, one of the authors, wants you to ask yourself: "what if aging, through challenging, is not a season of purposelessness, but rather an opportunity to discover our true identity in a way we couldn't in the first have of life? " (Page 28)

We're going to open the door to an adventure of God giving us the desire and ability to "age with grace".  That means to grow in a relationship with God through his Word (the Bible), prayer, worship and fellowship."

As you grow older, expectations change, right? Sooner or later you come to realize - I believe this takes time - that there is no perfect family, church, situation or society.   And because we all live in a broken world, we are surprised, aren't we, that things actually go as well as they do. 

Why is that?

Because God's gives us grace upon grace.  (I learned a definition years ago from a woman in her "afternoon of life", G - God's R - redemption A - at C-Christ's E - Expense) 

Did you know that struggling and rejoicing can happen at the same time? Because God gives us the hope "surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." (page 20, 21) 

"And for those of us already feeling ill-prepared, feeling worthless, and rudderless (page 28) it is not too late to experience God's grace and through His work, make an eternal impact in this season of life."  

So our adventure in the "Afternoon of Life" is going to include making an eternal impact to those around us?  Really?  As we are drawn closer to the LORD through the scriptures, we'll be seeing a different perspective, a perspective that is beyond our physical limitations, our illnesses, our loneliness, our lack of direction.   Now ladies, that sounds almost impossible!  And it would be except "that growing in grace is impossible apart from God's Grace."

This week, write your own Statement of Grace - this is a positive statement of blessings

Here's mine: 

I am 72 years old. I have been married for nearly 38 years, and between our two families, we have 5 grown children, 14 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. I'm creative and caring for others is my gift.These are my blessings.

Your statement of Grace will be different.  Examples are your age; schooling or occupation; where you've lived; if you've been a caregiver for a parent or family member; what your spiritual gift is; what your retirement is like. State whatever your blessings are and remember, that this is not a competition nor should you feel "less than" if your Statement of Grace is not like anyone else's, OK?

In the "Afternoon of Life" we are looking for a new identity and purpose that transcends it all.   But how?

Psalm 92:12-14 is our answer - to grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord. 

We are like a perennial - we're never finished growing till our season has ended.   When spring comes, the leaves pop out.  I love the spring green that only lasts a little while, then the maples turn to a full leaf and darker green.   We see the changes around the fall equinox, when like a perennial plant, the green slowly fades.   How blessed we are to see yet another stage of the leaves, when they turn colors.  

So now that we are in the Fall season, and our leaves are starting to lose their green - could we say that the leaves are in their own "Afternoon of Life"? and what is to follow, no one knows exactly?  We know there will be a change, that the leaves will be colorful, but we don't know which ones will turn what color and when.  We don't know what the fall season will be like or how long the season will last, do we?  And don't we celebrate fall, because for many of us, what will come next (cold and snow) will not be as enjoyable. 

But we have HOPE because we believe in the Creator God.  We trust Him to proceed with His plan for the change of seasons in nature and in our lives.   Here is a print I made with ink and embossing.  I could not create another one exactly like it no matter how hard I tried.   That is how God thinks of us - we are uniquely individual. 

There is always more grace to experience and more grace to know. 

We will Flourish and be Fruitful as long as we live in these earthly bodies!

It's a blessing to have you on this journey. I encourage you to read the book, Aging with Grace, and listen to the ministry programs online.  

Join us again next week!

Share your thoughts in the comments or email me at sboback54@gmail.com

HOPING AND PRAYING, WISHING AND WANTING

This post was written in 2014, posted on 9/7/14.  I'm sharing this again on September 8, 2026! for two reasons: to remind myself of accomplishments I've made, that at the time seemed insurmountable (is that a word?) and to be an encouragement to you!  SB

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Have you been hoping and praying that something would happen or change for you?  "I wish this were so."  "I hope that will happen."  "I am praying about that."

For years, I had hoped that 'someday' I would be able to participate in life a bit more actively.  When I became a grandmother (12 times since), I had a rude awakening that just hoping to be in better shape and more physically active, wasn't going to happen by itself.  I knew that in order to keep up with my little grands, I had to make a serious effort to being physically fit.

I do pray, believing that my request will be answered according to God's will and plan for my life.  Hoping to have will power.  Wishing to be more active.  It seemed that no matter how much I hoped or wished, the will power or incentive to accomplish this was not there.  What complicated the will power or incentive was chronic pain.

I've been writing about my journey to being healthy and physically fit at Motions Fitness. I've come to realize that all the hoping and wishing wasn't going to amount to anything without praying and wanting to change.

Since my last post, I have attended "Body Pump", a weight-lifting class. I must admit that I have always wanted proper instruction on how to lift weights and once had hoped to someday have a chance to do this.  But it had been a long, long time since I thought about really lifting weights.  The chronic pain had gotten in the way.  I'd watched the movements and sets from the back of the room, but now that I was in the class, it was really hard to keep up the pace and keep trying without giving up.  Tearfully, at one point, I wondered how I would ever make it to the end of the class in one piece. But then my trainer got right beside me, and helped me with each move, until I got back on track.

That "coming alongside" me that my trainer, Lisa, has done from the very first time we met at Motions Fitness, is the visible part of our trainer/client relationship.  To me, Lisa's actions were above and beyond the "you can do it, you can do it," support I have received at every stage of my work out plan. But to Lisa, this is her commitment to help her client succeed and realize all that is possible.

Before the class ended, the instructor reminded us that every set we do in every class must be a challenge to us or what good would it be? It was as if he was telling me personally that the hoping and praying, and wishing must turn to wanting to be healthy so bad that you keep challenging yourself, again and again and again.

So the tears keep coming, the tears of leaving behind the "I can't" and "am I going to make it" ....  as I move from wishing to wanting.  Nothing I have tried previously ever got me to the stage of wanting such a challenge like this, until now......at Motions Fitness.

I am praying for strength to keep meeting the challenge.

Until next time, keep striving.

HOPE POPPY

 I created a new Memorial Garden in the spring of 2020.  A perfect corner, the spot was filled morning sun until 2:00 p.m. and because getting the heat from the sun and no wind, it seemed an ideal place, and almost created a "greenhouse" effect with the warmth.

Among eight new perennials, were two poppies - one white and one pink/salmon color.   I couldn't wait for all of the new plants to grow and bloom.  This is what brings hope to my soul every year - the perennials know when its safe to grow up out of the soil. Somehow they know when the snow is gone and when its time to bring Hope to the earth.

All of the perennials - butterfly bush, dahlia, holly hocks, lavendar, blanket flower and 1 poppy - grew and bloomed.  However, the salmon/pink poppy never even grew to a bud.  I was disappointed, but there's always next year, I thought.

Now its fall, October 6 to be exact and I was surprised that my poppy decided now was the time, or maybe never in 2020.  Now? I thought. Though excited, I was fearful it would never grow fast enough to get to blooming maturity, before the cold air would be the norm. And there's always a fear that snow will come early.  I called this late bloomer poppy, Hope.  

  

I've been watching Hope Poppy grow taller and stand strong, and hoping this warm corner, despite the cold temps in the daytime and with leaves falling fast and the season ending early, that my Hope Poppy will bloom.

When it snowed on Saturday, October 17, I snipped it off as close to the ground as possible and put it in warm water in the windowsill with the brightest light. And hoped. At first its neck was bowing down to the floor, but I whispered, "Don't give up now.  You've been given a chance. You have a beautiful blossom to reveal!"

Though its colder by the window compared to the corner Memorial Garden in the summer, I placed it here so that the bud would hang over the radiator heat. Here it has a pseudo corner garden spot, the best I have to offer, for my Hope Poppy.  

Every day I check on Hope Poppy's neck, and within the first 24-hour period I saw that she was reaching for the light.  Hope Poppy isn't done yet!  Today I saw the color of her blossom more clearly. "You can do it  Hope! Can't wait to see what you look like in full bloom - yes, there is Hope!"

Raising Hope, giving Hope Poppy a chance to bloom and survive, has been one of the most enjoyable and "hopeful" things I've done during the last seven months (Apr - Oct 2020).  Not only did I check her out each morning, and at the end of the day, but several times during the daylight hours I viewed her progress.  Each day I was sure this was as far as she would grow, thinking that water and sunlight might not be enough.   So with that thought in mind, I started to appreciate Hope Poppy even more at each stage of growth. I was just thankful I had given it a chance for warmth in its first year.

I really enjoyed getting close to Hope Poppy; to looking at her neck and the fine hairs on the leaves and stem (neck). I saw how strong that neck curved to reach the light and even when I tried to change the position of stem in the vase, Hope Poppy still stood the same way.

                                                            

In this day and age, when many are discussing the rights of an unborn child to live despite the way it was conceived, I couldn't help but think of Hope Poppy as such a child. Perhaps you might think of a new life, yes, even the life of a human when you look at the progress photos of Hope Poppy.  I became quite taken by the parts of Hope Poppy that could be a body, a pregnant body, one that was growing despite the turn in its life of blooming late, and being rescued from death of an early snow.  I could see before my eyes that this plant, this poppy, this living thing was going to show me how it would continue to grow and bulge and reveal its intricate parts that I would have never seen if it was growing in the garden.  There are parts that look like blood vessels, and the petals that remind me of a wrinkled little child.  

All those petals, folded up inside the body. Each day the body separated just a little more as the wrinkled petals pushed their way out.

Here, she hovered over the radiator and absorbed the heat.

Have you ever thought that just maybe you were meant to do something that you never thought about doing before?  This is that moment.  Please join me in viewing Hope Poppy's entrance into the world - late, but oh, so beautiful.  

As the wrinkled petals pushed their way out, the body with blood-vessel-looking sides was revealed.

Now that the petals have pushed out, we can get a sneak peak of Hope Poppy's face.

I was intrigued by the many hairs on the stem and leaves.

Even when I moved the heavy stem to stand taller, it ended up leaning down to hover over the radiator. It was that heavy.

I realized I couldn't stand by and just wait for Hope Poppy to "pop". It wasn't that I didn't have time or that I was busy with other tasks. I heard the old belief in my mind, "a watched pot doesn't boil" so I went on with my day and planned to check in just a little later.   Like a mother in labor, the baby, the poppy would be born or bloom when the time was just right.  

And the time came.  I didn't see it happen, but I was so delighted to see that this plant, perhaps combined with light and warmth and maybe a little CO2 encouragement from me, (my voice of encouragement), has bloomed to full size in a most amazing sight.  

Isn't this late bloomer beautiful?!

I trimmed off about 6-8 inches of stem and a few leaves. A vintage Ball jar was perfect for Hope Poppy. Something special holding something special.

Continuing with the analogy of new life, a life that may not have been planned this way, or even a life that may have been forgotten or lost, this is the beauty that was meant to live and bring meaning and joy.

I've never seen a poppy open quite this wide. Perhaps its the type of poppy.  My red poppies open around July 4, but if I don't see them, they last one day and are gone. Beginning with the next season, when my red poppies and white and salmon poppies grow to bud stage, I will clip their long stems, bring them indoors and perhaps I will see the growth and birth of those poppies in a whole new light - just like a whole new life.  I have been so honored by Hope Poppy. Perhaps it is God's way to explain new life in a beautiful unexpected way. 

The day after Hope Poppy bloomed indoors in my pseudo garden on the east windowsill, an early snow fell heavy on the trees and bushes, but not on Hope Poppy.  

It is my hope that whatever you are struggling with now, that you will know the joy and hope of healing, of help, of answers.  It is my prayer that you will know the love that comes from life and that is Jesus. Be blessed!  SB

HOPE2

I hope to travel to my daughter's next spring.

I hope to be healthy all winter.

I hope to visit with my mother as much as possible.

I hope to see you before you leave.

HOPE to.  We do have high hopes for everyday accomplishments, activities, lifetime goals, heartfelt meetings.  

I hope to get up earlier tomorrow and go for a walk. 

I hope to get to bed earlier tonight so I can sleep better.

I hope to continue eating healthy and keep my weight off this time.

HOPE to.  We believe there is a way to our ideas and goals. 

HOPE2 is the description I had put on my friend's photo (it was the second beautiful, water outdoor photo I wanted to use). But as I typed it in the search bar, it occurred to me that the word and the number had more meaning. 

What made me call this picture Hope2? Its the story of the rainbow from Genesis 9 where God says, "I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 

Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Now that's hope!

The rainbow is the sign of the covenant, the promise from God to his people, to us.  The rainbow is the sign of hope for the moment, for tomorrow, for the future.  HOPE.

HOPE2 -  photo. (Used by permission. Photographer: Jill Meadows)

HOPE2 - Hope, too. In addition to love and faith and trust and mercy and grace, there's Hope, too.  

Romans 15:13

 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

HOPE2 - Hope to.  To want to do something, plan to do something. To think there's a chance you could accomplish something. To have belief but not complete assurance to do whatever your goal is.

What makes our hopes and ideas and goals happen?   

Romans 12:12, NIV: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Do you go through your day hoping and wondering why things don't happen?  Hoping is like throwing seeds in the wind - they might get planted and they might grow. 

To have the HOPE of the rainbow, invite God into your life. Believe that He loves you, and has given His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you, so that you can live eternally with Him. 

HOPE TOO, HOPE TO. Do you have love and God and His Hope, too? 

HOPE2. 

Here's a little about the photographer, Jill Meadows.

"Every post I post is for my best friend, she has cancer. Indirectly, my posts are for her. I cant go see her."

This is HOPE, too!

Jill's blog is backyardphotographer.net   You can find more of her beautiful outdoor photos in the Upper Peninsula on her Face Book page here. 

Jill is intentional. She seeks out God's beauty. She always finds it.  And we thank her for sharing her sights with us.  

Thanks for stopping by.  Where ever you hope to go, be blessed!  SB

Jill Meadows

sent

25 weeks aIt's a photography blog. Of only photos of the UP.  

THESE THREE DAYS - A REFLECTION

On this Holy Saturday morning at 5:15 AM, I sit watching the moon during the last few hours of night.  At moments, it is entirely covered by clouds, making the silver moon completely hidden.  This morning in particular, there will be a Blood Moon. And having never seen the sight of a red moon, I am watching diligently.

"Sit here and watch with me."  The moon reminds me the moonlight shed over Jesus as he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane.

  

What makes this Saturday Holy?  The three days are Thursday (called Maunday Thursday), Friday (called Good Friday) and Holy Saturday.   They are the days in the Church that are set aside to acknowledge the betrayal, mocking and crucifixion of Jesus.  These three days represent the center of the Christian Church.  It wasn't enough that God came to us in human form as a child, or that he walked this earth as Jesus the man.  It wasn't enough that God sent his Holy Spirit to live within our hearts.  It wasn't enough. When Jesus was hung on a cross to die as a common criminal, it wasn't enough.   

It is the sadness of these three days, of knowing that Jesus was killed in such a way, that brings the darkness. Bringing the perspective of a mother's son, are these words by Gregg Swell, "A Wind Blew Over Calvary."  

A wind blew over Calvary, Cold as a moonless night.

Birdsong ceased o'er Calvary, The sun refused to give light.

For the King of King was hanging there,

On a rough hewn cross he was hanging there,

The Lord of all was hanging, The Lord of all was hanging there,

On a hill called Calvary.

A mother's tears o'er Calvary, heavy as lifeless stone,

The pain she felt o'er Calvary pierced her to the bone. 

For the first born son was hanging there, 

on a rough hewn cross he was hanging there.

Her light and joy was hanging there, on a hill called Calvary.

A wind blew over Calvary.

Many hymns come to mind as I meditate on the events of these three days.  One that speaks so well of a heavy heart on Good Friday is this:

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? 

Oh Oh Oh Oh, sometimes, it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble....

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

But who are 'they' that crucified my Lord?

Christ of the Cross by Salvador Dali

It's so easy to get involved with the chants of a crowd.  It's easy to jump up and cheer when we might never have been cheering at all.   When we put ourselves as part of crowd and bring ourselves to the foot of the cross, we then can realize it is us who crucified Christ Jesus.

'Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, that we to judge thee have in hate pretended? 
By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted! 

 Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee? Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee!

'Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee; I crucified thee.
                                                             

Read all stanzas here.

It wasn't enough that we are the ones who crucified Jesus.  Yet he asked God to forgive them, to forgive us, to forgive every living soul to the end of time.  Jesus took our place before God.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

What was enough is that God gave us his love in the form of a man Jesus, who gave his life so that we may live. 

As I conclude my reflections on these three Holy days, the light of day is here. Though I continued to watch the silver moon in the sky that I so hoped would be red, the clouds entirely covered the moon. I saw no red moon from my perspective, but the darkness reminded me of a mother's son hung to die, and a God who would give it all just for me, and for you!

The Awakening and Merry Christmas!

I've been on a roller coaster of health issues in the last few months.  First, a minor surgery on a vein in my leg, only to end with phlebitis, and more treatment and care.  My granddaughter became seriously ill, and through the power of prayer and hope, she is now recovering and will continue to recover.  And then to top it off, I've caught an upper respiratory illness which has rendered me speechless - literally, as I've had forms of laryngitis for three days.  I have had more cups of green tea with lemon and vinegar in the last few days than I could ever imagine doing.  But the up side is that I now enjoy it, and will be starting my day out with this as often as possible.  Reminder to self (and you too): Don't forget to put your feet up and take time for yourself with a cup of tea!

Don't get me wrong.  I am not complaining. I am not whining.  I want to proclaim that in all the issues of the last few months, my life has continued to change and transform in ways I couldn't imagine or ever have sought for myself.  That is how I know that the Holy Spirit is leading me on this journey.

Last week, a close friend shared with me the poem called, "The Awakening."  She said it was given to her many years back after struggles and changes in her own life, and from what I had been confiding in her, she said it was meant for me too.  I share this here because perhaps this poem describes what you have gone through or are currently going through.  I keep going back to it and reading portions over and over.  It is my prayer, that you or someone you know, will also benefit from this poem.  Click on this link to read, Sonny Carroll's, "The Awakening".

My journey continues, at Motions Fitness, where I am now committed to their plan for me by purchasing an annual membership.  Yes, I have!  I am just as surprised.  But I am reminded that when you seek help from our faithful Lord Jesus, you never know what he's going to come up with!

Today, December 22, 2014 we are celebrating Christmas with the kids at our house.  It's all about them: decorating cookies (no requirements for the mess), reading the Christmas scripture from the book of Luke, favorite finger foods, playing the white elephant game for gift cards, and celebrating the good news of Jesus Christ with four generations.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy, healthy, blessed New Year.  Thank you for reading my blog.  Keep coming back and sharing my journey with me!

STRENGTH AND STRIVE

STRENGTH AND STRIVE is the class I participated in at Motions Fitness, after being a member for three weeks.  I did a post on this earlier called, HELLO TO ME CLASS PARTICIPATION.

At that time I had decided not to go back to the class.....at that point. My goal was to get stronger.  And now I have.....gotten stronger. Several times during the weeks that followed, I stood behind the class, watching and thinking that I could accomplish it.  After nearly eight weeks of working out with my trainer for two times a week, I realized as I watched the sets of exercises, that I had done most of them individually.

So on Monday, August 18, I made another attempt to participate in a class, which is included in my membership.  I had said farewell to my fears for the most part, and had met many of the ladies that were in the class, so there really was nothing holding me back.  I found Donna and told her I was "doing it" so she found me a spot right behind her.  The first time in the class I was so dependent on following her, but I found that it wasn't as necessary, though I was glad to have her right in front of me.

Once I couldn't lay on my back on a hard surface, and now I can do that.
Once I couldn't imagine doing even a modified push up, now I can do that.
Once I could barely keep moving to the next set, now I can do that with more energy.
Once I did not believe I was capable, now I know that I am.

I have gained STRENGTH as I have been STRIVING.  I will continue to get stronger.  I will continue to strive.  You never quite reach a point when you can say, "I've made it" and then quit.  You've got to keep staying strong, keep striving to be healthy and fit.  I've realized that.

I've set some new goals, which will include one or two times per week in one or two class(es), and one time a week with my personal trainer.  Funny, I never thought I'd be doing more than just once a week with a trainer!

I'm not addicted.  I'm not hooked.  I just feel better, healthier, happier, and more energized than ever before. You can do this

.  I found hope - you can too.