| Author |
Message |
River
Registered user
Username: River
Post Number: 518
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 9:06 pm: |     |
I didn't fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.
Hey, It's lonely at the top; but you do eat better.
If we aren't supposed to eat animals, why are they made with meat?
"Eat right. Stay fit. Die anyway."
I don't suffer from insanity; I enjoy every minute of it.
River |
Grace_alone
Registered user
Username: Grace_alone
Post Number: 456
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 9:38 pm: | |
Oh, shrimp is MY FAVORITE! I'm glad that Richard enjoyed that. Seafood is the last holdout my husband's list, which is funny because his Mom will at least eat "clean" fish. I like to remind him that Jesus ate fish. Or at least he served it up real nice with bread to his friends!
Sorry that those dorks wouldn't acknowlege Richard. UnChristian dorks!
2 1/2 more hours 'til another decade has passed. I don't want to be 40! I hate it! 40 is stupid.
 Leigh Anne |
Randyg
Registered user
Username: Randyg
Post Number: 372
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 10:16 pm: | |
Leigh Anne,
Let me be the first to welcome you to MIDLIFE.
No more 16 going on 17.
Some mornings you will wake up, and the only thing that will feel alive, will be the hills.
I truly hope you will find some solace in growing old.
I have to say that at the ripe old age of 47, if I could do it over again, I would have just skipped on up to 50.
For me the 40s have brought nothing but grief and turmoil, and I would not wish that on anybody.
The one saving grace has been my new found walk with God.
May you savor these last few fleeting minutes of your youth, for tomorrow they will be gone.
Leigh Anne, the 40s are stupid. I second that motion.
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Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 5417
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 11:14 pm: | |
Hey, I liked my 40's! It was by far the best complete decade of my life so far. (I'm not very far into my 50's, but so far this decade has been good, too.) It was my 30's that fell apart for me...
Leigh Anne, you'll be fine! I'm sorry your 40's have been so hard, RandyóI know that sort of thing does happenóbut being 40+ doesn't mean dreadful things WILL happen!
My friend Joan (who translates Proclamation! into Spanish) who used to work as a licensed clinical social worker told me once that as people approach middle age, if they have unresolved issues or memories that they've repressed for years, they usually start to surface, either in nightmares or memories or emotional decompensation of some sort.
The reason things begin to erupt around 40, she said, is that quite literally the body is beginning to lose its energy. It takes energy, she said, to keep memories or unresolved issues repressed, and the body begins to give them up. She said, in fact, that this eruption of one's "stuff" that he hasn't dealt with is probably the true nature of "midlife crises". People begin to experience anxiety or depression sometimes because of this surfacing of emotional baggage, and instead of dealing with it, people try harder to repress it: red corvettes, expensive distractions, plastic surgery, etc etc.
The secret, I think, is to be willing to stay grounded in truth. That's something Jesus helps us to do when we ask Him to. It may be hard to face reality sometimes, but there's so much peace once we've faced it.
Anyway, Leigh Anne, Happy Birthday! I think you'll love your 40's!
Colleen |
Randyg
Registered user
Username: Randyg
Post Number: 373
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 - 11:38 pm: | |
Dr. Colleen,
All in good fun(sort of).
One piece of sage advice I would like to give to Leigh Anne and the rest of those facing middle age is this.
When difficult and troubling situations and circumstances come your way.....face them head on, and deal with them right then.
This goes for relational issues, spiritual issues, work issues, and health issues.
Colleen your counsel regarding facing reality and doing what needs to be done....it right on. Some of us(ME) are just slow learners!!
Maybe this old dog can learn new tricks.
Leigh Anne, Happy birthday to YOU!!
Now when I turned 40, my children were quite pleased to let me know that 40 wasn't old.....for a TREE!!
God bless, and keep that bottle of Ibuprofen handy.
In the Spirit of fun,
Randy
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River
Registered user
Username: River
Post Number: 519
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 6:10 am: | |
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Leigh Anne, who is 40 going on 39!!
I went through some kind of depression at 40 that lasted quite a while, some months if I remember correctly, I would pray and it would go away for an hour or so then it would be right back.
I didn't do anything too stupid, I did go out in my back yard and build a Tug Boat though, that did keep me busy.
I think Colleen's friend was probably right, the depression was real enough but the Lord helped me to deal with it and get through it.
I went through an additional several years of deep depression, coupled with migraine headaches, and the Lord got me through that too, The Lord is faithful even when we are not so faithful.
To all who are going through trials, God is faithful, we are not exempt from trials, the Bible says the trial of your faith works patience.
God will be with you through them, I have not always acted like a Christian, far from it, but Jesus has always acted like Jesus.
Take it from some one who has been through many, many trials, he is so faithful and true.
I donít care how black things look, he is near, look to him for all your sustenance. If we buck up inside at circumstance it just makes it all the more harder, Jesus told Paul, ìPaul, why do you kick against the goads?î
If we kick against the ìgoadísî of lifeís circumstance, in other words allow our spirit to resent them, instead of accepting at the Lords hand, we close ourselves off from receiving the deep inner peace he has for us.
It keeps us from receiving his peace when we are in continual resentment and bitterness at lifeís circumstance.
Our most bitter cup can become sweet when we receive it as from the Lords hand, although however bitter it may seem, the Lord can truly change our common waters of life into sweet, sweet wine.
When we yield our spirit and our circumstance to the Lord in love for him, the world and its trialís loses itís ability to hurt and injure us in our spirit.
When we fail to do this we go through unneeded hurt.
I could write a lot more concerning this but I probably have already bored you so Iíll quit.
Happy Birthday young Sister, Oh, I do pray for you this morning that Godís peace will flood your heart today in a very special way.
River
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Olga
Registered user
Username: Olga
Post Number: 41
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 6:32 am: | |
I actually remember things going honky dory (well, not quite that way) until I hit 39. I turned 40 last October and looking back, it's been a roller coaster ride in every sense: physically, mentally, and spiritually. Sometimes it's felt completely insane. The good that this has brought about is the realization that God is my only source of strength.
Somehow, I don't think the Apostle Paul went through a mid-life crisis. Here's some of his advice (I've found more and more that this is my wish, to be content with whatever):
"...I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough. I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength." (Philippians 4:11-13)
God Bless you all, especially Leigh Anne and Happy Birthday!. I'll second Randy's advice to keep the Ibuprofen around (or WD-40 when it gets really bad: smiley face).
Olga |
Grace_alone
Registered user
Username: Grace_alone
Post Number: 459
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 8:23 am: | |
Thank you for the Birthday wishes Dear Friends! Thank you for your love and friendships. You are all such a blessing to me. I have much to be grateful for - a healthy beautiful family, a loving husband with a great job, a roof over our heads. We have soft pillows and warm blankets and food in the fridge. My parents are still strong and healthy For that I praise the Lord!
God is good!
40 is still pretty stupid, but God is always good!
<g>
Leigh Anne
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Melissa
Registered user
Username: Melissa
Post Number: 1548
Registered: 7-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 9:56 am: | |
I have a pair of 4s n my age now. The hardest, most symbolic symbol of 'old' to me was getting reading glasses. HOWEVER, the only way I would go back is if I could take my wisdom of today with me. I don't feel any different at 44 than I did at 24, just wiser ... which is another way for saying when I was younger I was dumber. If I could turn back the clock with the same ignorance as before, I'd probably repeat the same junk, so no thanks!
My grandmother was the last of her friends' generation to pass. It was difficult listening to her mourn all that had gone before her. When my grandfather died, she just couldn't get over it. She was 90. If stats play out for us, we have as many years ahead as we have behind. That's still a lot of time.
Happy Birthday! May you get lots of presents! (never too old for that!)
(Message edited by melissa on February 15, 2007) |
Ardyj
Registered user
Username: Ardyj
Post Number: 22
Registered: 8-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 1:52 pm: | |
Sorry folks, but I kind of have to smile when I read of turning the "ripe old age" of 40. I sort of remember that it was somewhat traumatic, but just wait until you start on the 60's!!!! Sometime during the 40+ years I started saying "I can still work as hard as I used to, just not as long". And that's the truth! Thanks for those words from Phillipians. That is certainly truth.
A big one for me, was realizing that my oldest son is turning 40; now that's really a jolt!
But, aging is only relative you know :-) Don't really like getting older but it's soooo much better now that I know I myself can never reach perfection, but through Christ Jesus my salvation is sure. That does my heart so much good!
Happy Birthday to all of you celebrating the big 40. Wish I could be with you folks on the FAF weekend. Not this year, but planning on next! Enjoy! |
Susans
Registered user
Username: Susans
Post Number: 392
Registered: 8-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 3:25 pm: | |
I remember being depressed for about 3 days when I turned 40. I thought "oh, I'm middle-aged now, my life is over". Then I realized this great truth: life is what you make it. From that point on, I was not depressed about my age.
I actually came into my own in my 40's. I believe your friend's theory about "stuff" coming to the surface in that decade, Colleen.
In my 40's, I began to like myself for really the first time in my life. I stopped seeking approval from everyone except God. I had probably the most tumultuous time of my entire life in my 40's, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!
At 45, I sought counseling and the cyclic depression I had experienced for my entire life disappeared with resolving the issues. I severed bad relationships and sought out good ones. I left the SDA church around the same time. I certainly was NOT the same person when I ended my 40's as when I entered them...I was a better, more whole person!
I'll be 52 in May. I love who I am and where I am in my life now. I wouldn't go back for anything!
I think you'll love your 40's too, Leigh Anne!
Susan |
Colleentinker
Registered user
Username: Colleentinker
Post Number: 5420
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 15, 2007 - 11:51 pm: | |
Susan, your description of coming into your own in your 40's really describes my experience as well. Yes, the decade was tumultuous for me as wellóthat was the decade we left the church and faced quite a number of intense changes and challenges.
But the feeling of anticipation and joy and solidity that came from having our firm Adventist identities shattered and rebuilt in Jesus more than makes up for the challenges. Trauma, change, tumult, yesóbut wow, I feel that for the first time I am secure and have hope without chronic anxiety.
Jesus is so faithful!
Well, Susan, I've got you beatóI'm 53óbut I also love where I am now, and I wouldn't go back for anything, either! (I have to admit that turning 50 was WAY MORE traumatic for me than turning 40óthat really did depress me! But God has surprised me with new work to do, and He has let me know that He's not turning me out to pasture even though I might feel as though I'm way past prime! Ha!)
Colleen |
Honestwitness
Registered user
Username: Honestwitness
Post Number: 228
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 9:55 am: | |
When I was in my early 30s, I asked God to help me set goals for my life. He spoke to my spirit and asked, "Why not set your longest-term goal?" I replied, "Sure! What should that be?" He said, "Why not determine to live to be a healthy 100 years old?" I said, "OK! That's my new longest-term goal." It completely revolutionized my thinking to know that I still had 70 years, at least! I'm in my late 50s now, and had absolutely no trauma or depression when I turned 40 or 50. I belive I'll be just fine at 60, too. I still have at least 40 years to go, and I plan to still be healthy and fit, when I reach 100.
I do have to admit, though, I have slowed down my pace, mostly because I get tired more easily and because of those pesky aches and pains.
The Lord reminded me just this morning to forget those things that are behind and look forward to those things that lie ahead.
Honestwitness |
Grace_alone
Registered user
Username: Grace_alone
Post Number: 461
Registered: 6-2006
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 10:29 am: | |
I have two sisters who I'm very close to. One is 52 and the other is 51. They took me out to dinner along with my Mom who is 72. When I told them that I thought 40 was stupid they said "You might as well enjoy it Sister, cause you'll never again be as young as you are today!"
My Mom says "just be glad your baby isn't 40!" My 92 year old Grammy says "How would you like it if your baby was 72?!"
I guess it's all in the way you look at things!
Leigh Anne |
River
Registered user
Username: River
Post Number: 521
Registered: 9-2006
| | Posted on Friday, February 16, 2007 - 1:19 pm: | |
If the pork rinds don't kill me, I'll live till I die. |
Flyinglady
Registered user
Username: Flyinglady
Post Number: 3426
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 02, 2007 - 6:12 pm: | |
All you youngsters give me a laugh. I am not getting older. I am getting better. Thank God for that. I have a couple of 6's in my age and I do not feel it and am told I do not look it or act it. So I just say thank you God for good genes.
BTW, Happy Birthday to those celebrating birthdays.
I love all of you.
Diana
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