How can I be 50 years old and still struggling with how and what I want my life to be?
How can I be 50 years old?....lol.
But do you struggle with that?
You know.....am I wasting my hours here on earth?
I know we have to work..(most of us)...and sleep...
but that still leaves 6 to 8 hours more or less a day.
I find myself getting home from work and crashing on the couch
and vegging out in front of the television.
This is unacceptable but the flesh is weak.....and tired....and wants to watch The Voice.
And then I decide that I'm going to list what things need to be accomplished.
Clean house
Do laundry
Exercise
Bible study
Cook
Take care of animals
Spend time with husband
Read
Take a bath
Talk with friends
Visit parents
Shop
Write a book
Pay bills
Go to church
Eat healthy
Can this be done????????
I become overwhelmed and flop back on the couch and inhale a pop tart while my eyes glaze over
during Project Runway.
I am not a Type A personality......I fall waaaaaay down to probably Type Zzzz....(snore)
And what about gardening and canning and putting up for the future?
And all of these things that I have mentioned are all for me.
What about what Jesus really wants us to do?
Serve others.
How do I fit that in?
I really struggle with the balance of it all!
Do you?
I have decided that I can make some small changes throughout my day.
Some mornings I may not be able to do my Bible study but I can listen to a Christian radio station on my way to work.
I can slow down and enjoy God's wonderful creation around me as I'm traveling to and from work.
I can pray for others during my 30 minute commute.
I can be an ambassador for God at work.
I know God blessed us with this business and I fully intend to honor Him in it!
I am getting better at these things but I still struggle with balance.
I know I'm living a very selfish life but some days I can barely meet my basic needs.
It's the hours at home that is my biggest struggle.
I definitely waste some of that precious time.
I guess I'm just wondering how you all do it?
Is it a struggle?
Do you have suggestions?
I want to make changes and do more but I also know that I am miserable if I go wide open all the time.
I'm just not built that way.
How do you change your life?
Start new habits and make them stick?
I don't want the next 50 years to be wasted....
so the million dollar question is.....
how do you know what you really want and what must be done to accomplish it?
11 comments:
Ummm...I'm almost 60 and still haven't figured it out so don't feel bad. I have so much to do (that I put on myself cause I don't want to be a slacker), but I become overwhelmed and do nothing. We need to form a support group, but that would be just one more thing we'd have to do. Be easy on yourself. Most of us are there right there with you.
Farmhouse hugs,
Cindy
I am 52, and God put me on my backside for awhile so I could figure some of this stuff out...the key...give him all of you.
There is no way you can balance this world and Him. He has to have priority. When you get up in the morning, have Him on your mind. Every step you take, picture Him looking over your shoulder. Take Him with you.
Now on the commute. Turn off the radio and listen to God. No distractions. Just say hello, I just want to rest in your arms a bit...
When you give Him the best part of you, He will give you the best part of Him and everything else just falls into place.
You already gave Him a prime spot in your office, that's good. Now let Him have the best part of your day.
Prayers for you as you learn this part of the walk- the over 50 part. LOL
Lisa, I love that you speak your heart. I want to encourage you in one way only. Do a bit more soul searching to determine who you are in Christ. He created you with specific talents and gifts. We are not all meant to be evangelist, not all meant to be farmers, gardeners or great cooks.
It took me 32 years to determine that I'm not called to work with children, but I have been blessed with the gift of teaching Bible Studies with other women my age.
Another 10 years to realize that I'm never going to be a gourmet cook. I don't have the patience to do all that chopping. My blog will never be focused on food.
I learned just this week that deer are always going to eat the plants and flowers that I love most. I am no gardener, so I am researching plants that are deer resistant and will plant only those from here out.
Also, I think my greatest struggle is when I compare myself to others and want to be who they are. My soul search revealed that I am truly gifted in a few areas and the rest is not important. Using my talents and gifts to encourage my family and loved ones gives me the greatest sense of accomplishment. My confidence and peace have tripled since I began to embrace and improve only the gifts that are my natural bent. I believe this is the greatest praise we can give the Father.
I hope this is encouraging.
Dear Sweet Lisa...I have missed you too. Thank you for coming by and saying hi. I've been kind of random on and off with my blog and have not been as active as before. I think of you so often and I see by reading some of your latest posts I have missed a lot of changes in your life. At any rate I don't think any of us knows what we really want or how to accomplish it. I will be 70 years old in a few months and I continue to live and learn, and learn, and learn. I try my best to reach out to others and to just be happy and content in my surroundings. We all have special gifts and when we use them we please God. None of us are perfect beings but we have been given different tools to use. My mind is strong and full of all these amazing things I want to do in life but the body is weak now and I'm not able to do the things I think about. So I find contentment in the things I can do, the nature that God has provided, the quiet and peaceful solitude of the morning sunrise, the snow in winter, the beautiful creatures that wander through our back woods and all the different seasons that come and go, still feeling needed by my children when they are hurting and want to talk or help them figure things out. So I bet if you just sit quietly and think about all the things that you do accomplish in the day and the good things that you do for your family, your friends ... you are doing exactly what you want to do and you are accomplishing so much already. Love and Hugs and Blessings...Kathy
Oh Lisa...I am 60 and I still don't know how to do it all. I struggle along just like everyone else too. Whether you know it or not, your life is a blessing in itself. God uses you to encourage so many others and your heart just overflows with love. Just today, I had a moment of realization that I am 60 years old and imagined myself as an old woman in only 10 or 15 years from now...it scared me! I started in with the "if onlys" in my head...one if only lead to another and in just a few moments, I was so upset with myself! I knew I wasn't honoring God with that kind of thinking so I promptly got a hold of myself and put a stop to it...and asked the Lord to forgive me. I wish I had an easy answer sweetie...all I can say is by looking at the other comments, we are all in good company with one another..lol! I think we just need to keep loving and honoring God and strive to do better, without beating ourselves up when we don't :) Love you, sweet friend!
P.S. I love Kathy's reply...I wish I would have read it first. I agree with her whole heartedly!
Great answers from some great women! But why do we always feel the need to do EVERYTHING? I like your idea for the 30 minute car ride. Talking to God everyday for those 30 minutes sure is a great start. You are a great lady, with such a beautiful heart! Just keep on being you!
Lisa,
The few months I took off from blogging have been about this exact thing. I started a Bible study called Restless and it started me on a path of truly trying to figure out what God wants me to be doing. I have learned a lot through that little break and that's why I started the new blog, but I didn't know if or how I should start the story, but coming here has helped! So, I'll be sharing some of what God has shown me, over on the new blog. I think you're right where God wants you :)
I'm thinking we all go through these little stages of self reflection..at any age, but usually after milestones..like 40, 50, 60. (I just went through a big one) Don't give up on the things you want to do ..life only gets better and better, and shorter and shorter. So, live out loud, girl! Talk to Him all day long. He already knows our every breath, and He will guide you to the right path. Blessings!
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I with you..I am trying to find what the Lord has for me and our family.
Surrendering it all to Him daily.
Reading His word and praying we finally are feeling a little nug..in our walk. But we still have no I deal what we will be doing for the Lord this coming year. Just trusting Him and waiting on His direction.
Blessings
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