On this Side of
50
Lisa M. Niles
I’m firmly believing that my latter days are greater than my former days, that life on this side of fifty is better and more enjoyable than before and so I focus on the positive things of life, giving thanks always, being content in whatever circumstances life metes out on this side.
Enjoying this side of fifty depends, I believe, on appreciating the small moments of life. As long as we live, life will happen but how we live determines the quality of our stay here.
On this side of 50, let's share, advise and encourage each other on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely and admirable in all aspects of life:
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Health
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Home
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Beauty
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Food
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Fashion
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Family
When I reached fifty, I began to feel afraid.
My worst fear was happening.....that I would die with the regret of not having done the 'thing' that I had been created to do.
There I was, happily married for
twenty-five years with four children
either in college or all set to start
college or working, a qualified
accountant & certified
corporate secretary with two
Bachelor degrees, a 'lovely' home
and two dogs, yet feeling all
unaccomplished, empty and afraid.
Thus began an urgent process of
prayer and seeking to fulfill purpose.
With no time to waste, I have given up an accounting career of 30 plus years, successfully completed a Master's in Teaching English Learners and have temporarily relocated to the People's Republic of China to teach.
The journey to pursue purpose continues but that fear is gone.
If it is one thing that I have learned in my 50 plus years, it is that true peace and joy happen only when we are following God's perfect plan for our lives.
The single biggest threat to successfully following that plan and therefore living a better life, living with purpose and living like a champion is failing to apply God's word to practical living.
One of my gifts has been to teach, organize and help others to get things done. My husband would always tell me that I teach myself out of work since I would seek to empower clients through educating them on how to operate effectively without my help.
Like you, life for me is new on this side of 50 but I'm continuing to support others to live out their Christian life practically. This web space provides the motivation to research, share and collaborate with you on how we should apply what we read in the Bible in a practical way to:
What is the “why” of what I'm doing in this space? I hope to engage others on the journey to fulfill purpose here in the earth before we leave it.
There are some things that each of us was born to do and to accomplish - that one passion however “great” or “small” that drives us if we would only board the vehicle of purpose.
My son once commented with great incredulity “Do you realize that most people live just to work the next day?”
The beginning of each day is an opportunity to forcefully and deliberately grab hold of that unique thing for which we were created.
On this side of 50, we chat about:
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Making changes
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Late careers
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Gifts and talents
A friend (more mature and older than me) once remarked with some regret, nostalgia and a tinge of bitterness, that at the age when you have gained the most wisdom in life is when you have the least influence over your children.
On this side of fifty, we possess greater knowledge and wisdom gained on the journey of life and yet ironically feel and may be made to feel that our contribution to the betterment of society is just about over.
Or we may be overwhelmed by the ills of this world and want to focus in on doing at least some good on a few of them.
On this side of fifty, we can use the wisdom and skills that we have to make the lives of others better by exploring:
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Causes that we can pray about, advocate for and champion
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Methods and tools of activism
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Education on various issues