Good morning! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. My cousin Elisha was visiting us this weekend and I enjoyed our time together very much. I hope to share photos from the weekend soon.
But today is reserved for our next dear older lady question. If you are new to this, I have asked women on xanga to message me with questions that they would like to have answered by an older lady. I got this idea while reading and meditating on Titus 2:1-5. “But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; that they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
Today’s question:
What about aging? Do you have any advice about aging gracefully both inside and out? What have you learned in your Christian walk that helps you combat the world’s views on aging? Did any part of aging take you by surprise? What can younger women do to take good care of our bodies? (teeth, eyes, skin, bones, etc)
Good to be Home 
1. If you want your body to keep you going for a long time, don’t abuse it. Eat right. Exercise. Use moisturizers. Live a balanced life. 2. Do the best you can with what you have and accept the rest! 3. Listen more than you talk. 4. Laugh often. Cultivate joy. 5. Avoid people your age, and hang out with children whenever possible. 6. Keep your mind and body active. 7. See each day as a gift and appreciate it. 8. Live close to God and He will renew your strength. 9. Guard your heart against a critical, complaining spirit. 10. Don’t give advice/opinions unless you are asked.
wow, danish! you summed it up very well. i love every one of your 10 points…it’s really all about contentment, isn’t it? one thing about my body- i have to accept the fact that i am 45, not 25 and i will never be 25 again. get over it and move on joyfully! and, oh yeah, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize…
Good question, I can’t wait to see all the answers.
I like DanishDoll’s comments — especially about hanging out with children! My husband and I are 65+ and help out with feeding the teens at our church occasionally and they are a “fun” bunch and they accept us wrinkles and all!! I find contentment in just “being me” — I walk four miles a day when I can, try to eat healthy, knit, crochet, garden, cook/bake, read and just like to keep my body and mind busy. I don’t worry about the latest fashions, or how anyone else my age looks — God made me special (if only in His sight) and that’s good enough for me! Wouldn’t it be boring if we were all alike?
This is a great question for me because I turned older (55yo) on Saturday!!!1. Don’t be amazed if you read the Bible and it speaks differently to you as you as you age. I’m amazed at what God shows me with my 55 years of experience under my belt! I’m learning more to spread the gospel of peace (which encompasses many Godly attributes) and not be so hung up on the book of Revelation and “what does it all mean?”2. Like DanishDoll: moisturize your skin and take a calcium supplement. Watch those foods that contain artery blocking fats (but, don’t read my blog for the past few days and use my food intake as a good example!).3. I have 3 children at home (ages 5, 7, & 8) and it keeps me VERY active and, I think, more youthful. Women today aren’t as old at 50 as the women of yesteryear but some feel they are falling apart, and they talk about their aches and pains all the time. Don’t listen to them. I KNOW I’m 55 and I’m shocked at how good I feel. I assumed I WOULD feel old. It’s all about a positive outlook and not being ashamed to tell your age. Be PROUD of it. 4. Recognize you are getting older and don’t attempt to do things that put your body in jeopardy. Muscles DO cramp easier and our balance/coordination IS different. Don’t be stupid or proud. Ask for help.5. Unless a younger person ASKS what you think, don’t jump in with your opinion and wisdom. They won’t want to be your friend! :)6. As far as “teaching the younger women” . . . I think being a visible example serves a more powerful purpose than our words or preaching. BE someone older that someone younger might want to emulate. 7. And YES, I am starting to sound like my grandmother! I just accept it! When I hear myself saying to my husband, “The young people today . . . ” I just catch myself and laugh!8. A sense of humor about yourself, your limitations, your body changes, your MEMORY changes (!!!!) etc. makes life so much more enjoyable. EVERYONE grows old – don’t resent it. Embrace it!
I’m not sure if I’m an older woman , I’m 47 but I do have dds, 25, 22, 18 and 14 and I’m a homeschool mom. : ) I’ve been married for almost 28 years to a man who loves the Lord with all his heart, I find him on his knees in prayer every morning. He is 54 and bears a beautiful crown of silver. : )
For me, spending quiet time with the Lord first and foremost is the best beauty treatment both inside and out. It provides us with peace of heart and contentment, a nice countenance. Sweetness.
In the natural, a moisturizer, off brands of oil of olay work nicely. Exercise and eating God’s way staying away from chemicals and sugar. A little sugar is okay for a treat but no sodas are kept or encouraged. Water or healthy teas are the choice for cool drinks. A cup of coffee is a treat for myself. Fresh fruits and green vegetables are a must.
Living out the kind of heart and life I would like my daughters to be, staying far, far away from gossip, cliques or unecessary busyness etc. Letting them see me being content for an Audience of One working in my home with joy in my heart.
Laughing with my family, laughing at myself is invaluable! Not taking little things too terribly seriously, keeping quiet over things that really don’t matter or have anything to do with Eternity.
Be blessed, ~Amelia
I just wanted to thank you for doing this. I’ve eagerly looked forward to these! I feel like I’m a younger woman at 29 1/2 🙂 and I am lalwasy istening for those older ladies’ advice.
Danish Doll gets an A+. She said all the things I wanted to.Develop a habit of thanksgiving and praise, from it comes the inner joy that keeps you young at heart and in spirit.And then from praise comes prayer which produces peace!
Thanks for this, Shanda! Great advise so far, and I look forward to any more responses. Glad you had a fun weekend- I was thinking of you and your company. Hope your day goes smoothly- I know Mondays are a busy day for you.
This is great. I love reading all the answers. I’ll come back later to see what else is on here.
Oh, and I put up pictures of my finds from the weekend. 🙂
I was talking w/ my mom when I opened your site.. so I asked her opinion on the topic. She’ll be 58 tomorrow.. and the best “older woman” i know~ 🙂 A. what have you learned about aging?Mom. It happens! 🙂 It’s an unchangeable.. and you have to accept it. Have your security rooted strong in Christ – b/cause no matter what age you can look around and find those more attractive. more talented. more in shape. Our focus needs to be on Christ, NOT the mirror!A. did any part of aging take you by surprise?Mom. (laughing) Menopause!A. what can we as younger women do to take care of our bodies?Mom. the obvious – eat right. excercise. the not so obvious – don’t allow any seeds of bitterness in your heart! I’ve seen bitterness age women well beyond their years.. and even cause health problems. Spend as much time w/ the Lord as possible.. the most beautiful women I know are those who SHINE (literally) with the joy of Christ. Can’t buy that in any jar!A. anything else?Mom. remember… pretty IS as pretty DOES. I can’t emphasis that enough! I’ve known gorgeous woman who did not know what it meant to be gracious and kind – believe me, they lose their attraction in other’s eyes fast! and I’ve known those who weren’t “raving beauties” become the most beautiful of all to others because of their spirit, and how they conduct themselves. As women we all like praise – even need it. But remember how the Bible tells us we’ll find genuine, lasting praise-? “Favor is deceitful.Beauty is vain. BUT… a woman that feareth the Lord SHE SHALL BE PRAISED!” To me, that kind of woman is Time-less! :)A. Amen! well said Mom! 🙂
also, wanted to add… sometimes when we say that true beauty is found in Christ we think we don’t need to put as much emphasis on “outward.” even know women who think it’s considered wrong to look nice and attractive – – yes, i think inward beauty should be first priority – but also feel it’s important as godly women to KEEP ourselves well… for our husbands. our kids. those around us – as a testimony. not that we have to look like Barbie everyday, but we don’t have to look haggered either.. even though we might FEEL it most the time! :)-just my 2cents. =D
Some real good advice and I can’t improve on it, but I would have a couple priorities. One, is to keep an upward and outward focus. At 74 and fairly recently widowed, I find the above SO important. I think the most important thing is to guard our minds, being very careful what thoughts we allow entrance into our “mental gym” to exercise there. I also liked the comment that mentioned not allowing any bitterness to take root. I too have seen that really age people and rob them of joy. Then besides the obvious of good health habits, eating, exercise, etc. I would mention one more. While you are young practice good posture and try to carry it on into old age. Be humble, but walk “proud”! In other words, stand and walk erect, give your lungs room to breathe. (Plus taking calcium of course!) Notice others, especially the children, and speak kind and encouraging words. AVOID being critical at all costs, because it comes too easily if you don’t guard against it as we age and see changes that we may not agree with. Encourage others and you encourage yourself.
Again, a wonderful wealth of information here. Thank you dear sisters in Christ for sharing your thoughts with us. Thank you Shanda for starting this series. Hope you all have a wonderful week. ~Michelle
I just wanted to remind everyone that calcium needs to be taken with magnesium for absorption. : )
Like the others, I am really enjoying this series and reading the above answers. I will look forward to coming back and reading more, and sharing if I learn something to add in the meantime!
Hi, I’m new to your blog and am looking forward to your post on this. This is such an interesting topic and I have enjoyed reading the replies here in comments. I look forward to reading more. Cathy
Don’t fret about gray hair ~ it is a beautiful and natural part of aging ~ accepting it can be so very freeing. A minister said somnething in a sermon recently that was so powerful ~ “God is so much more willing to extend grace to us than we are willing to extend it to each other.” That impressed me so much. So, I think in aging, with God’s help, this is something I want to work on ~ being willing to extend grace, mercy and God’s love in greater portions than I have in the past.
Loving all the comments.
Not fretting about the gray hairs is difficult when you’re only 27. LOL!
This is so interesting, thanks for doing this. I can’t say anything more than what has already been said.
Thanks for initiating this! I am looking forward to the Q&A as an encouraging start to my week!!! The more I learn, the more I realize that I don’t know!
I liked reading what everyone had to say…The first thing that popped ion my head was don’t worry so much about it… Our mental health a lot of times effects our physical health. So if we go around with a spirit that is negative and worrying all the time than we will age faster. I also do not find anywhere in the Bible where God says it is ok to worry…Everything that I have read commands us not to worry and lean on Him. The Bible tells us to guard our hearts like was said above. I look at it like God made us and he has given us an owner’s manual, we should use it!
Also I look at the Bible and do not find anywhere that our goal should be to live long and prosper…we are to believing for Him. Not that a long life is not something to b treasured – but that we shouldn’t be obsessed with getting older. WE all knot the scriptures about to everything there is a season. Well aging is one of those things…
Great question…
@Hutch5 – Very wise words from your mom. I’m 52, and agree with everything she said
Great words of wisdom from all. I have been blessed by them.
Wonderful words and advice above. Keep looking up to Jesus and studying His word. We can never have enough of God. The quiet time spent with God in prayer and in the word are what form us and make us more like Him. I love teaching…both my boys and Bible studies…..I learn so much! Laugh often, enjoy relationships….God made us relational….especially to have relationship with Him. Listen to people and what they are really saying.
Enjoy each season in your life….they each have their sweetness.
I agree with playing with young people. I do! It often encourages them….if I can hike, swim, go on rollercoasters, iceblock etc…..then they can for sure! Knowing God made me and knows me helps me to accept my body as it is. I have had long chronic illness …yet, God sees me through and keeps me going. I constantly look to Him for answers both spiritual and physical.
Aging? I am 50 years, have been married 30yrs. next month and have three sons. 24, 22, and 14……I agree with eating healthy and nutritionally, lots of fruits and veggies, water, moisterize the skin….I use shark squaline oil (because it is natural…I don’t like to use chemicals or petroleum on my skin) at night the last few years when the lines began and people noticed the difference. Also using flax seed, and flax and Borage oil …..now entering menopause and no hot flashes. Maybe this will help someone…..a few years ago when starting premenopause….I had very strong feelings of sadness. I would cry so easily. I found it very difficult to overcome those feelings. Pressing into the Lord and spending time with Him was the greatest help. I prayed a lot for Joy during that time. I finally started using some Progesterone cream topically and it made a HUGE difference.
blessings, Jenny