“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
During care group, we were discussing the talents and gifts God has given us. A question was asked by the facilator:
“Do your talents change as you get older?”
Our group consists of people aged 55 and older.
Almut enthusiastically shared that when her children had grown, she decided to go back to work. She was hired to manage volunteers in a second-hand clothing store. Although she enjoyed the work, her favorite day of the month was the day she did the bookkeeping - balancing the books. She enjoyed bookkeeping so much that she took an accounting course and has been the financial accountant for her church ever since - and she loves it. Earlier on in life, she never knew that God had given her that talent.
Anita told us that after she retired from work she started dabbling in paints and discovered she has an artistic gift that never had shown up before.
Mark Gerzon, in his book Listening to Midlife writes:
“As we age, we human beings yearn for wholeness. We yearn for parts of ourselves that have been in the dark to find sunlight, and those that were sunburned to find shade. We yearn for parts that have been underdeveloped to grow, and those that were overdeveloped to be pruned. We yearn for the parts that have been silent to speak and those that were noisy to be still. We yearn for the parts that have been alone to find companionship and those that have been overcrowded to find solitude. We yearn to love our unlived lives.”
We have at least a third of our lives left to try new things, learn new skills, go on overseas adventures - to serve God by being everything He created us to be. Life is not over when we reach 55. We are just entering a new exciting season of life. Let’s not waste these most wonderful years by sitting on a rocking chair waiting for the kids to come over.
Father you have told us in Psalm 92:14, “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.” Give us the creativity and courage to use every bit of life for your glory. Amen.
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