Recently I have been thinking seriously about adults who are forty to fifty and over. I have been observing the lifestyle of a few people, and I kept wondering if they are happy with their lives. Have they been able to accomplish all of their dreams and aspirations?

Most of these adults’ children are grown, and some of them have moved out of their homes to pursue careers or higher education. Their homes are now empty while others are filled with grandchildren.

A few months ago, I ran into a lady whom I have known for years. It was about 8 am, and she told me that she was just getting off duty.

She was working on the night shift. I expected her to be tired and needed rest, so I did not want to delay her. I just stated, “So you are going home for some well-needed rest.”

To my surprise, she told me no. She was not returning home to rest but was going home to look after her seven grandchildren who were on holiday from school.

 I exclaimed, “What? How can you do that?”

But she nodded and replied, “Yes, I have been doing it every day.”

She appeared to be comfortable with her role. However, I was certainly not comfortable with it.

I wondered to myself if I would be happy looking after my grandchildren when I was in my sixties, and the answer was a resounding no. I believe that the Lord has greater plans for my life than to be a babysitter for my grandchildren.

If you are sure that looking after your grandchildren for the rest of your life is your destiny from God you will enjoy and find it fulfilling.

My concern is that parents have dedicated their entire life to their children and sometimes even when their children are grown they have refused to release them but instead accepted, even more, responsibility by looking after the grandchildren.

Many parents continued to finance their children’s education up to the post-graduate level and even second and third degrees. I believe that the financial responsibility of the parents ends when the child attain their first professional careers. Any additional degrees should be the liability of the child.

According to US Today, about sixty percent of retirees said that they would look for another job after retiring from their company. Many adults after they have retired returned to work while others who owned their business continued to manage them. They refused to release the secular work.

The article in US Today also stated that when the retirement age was established at sixty-five, it was with the notion that the lifespan will be seventy years. If this is the case then after retiring you are expected to enjoy only five years of retirement. Do you really believe this is the Lord’s plan for us?

The article states that the retirees return to work for love and money. There are also others who may believe that they cannot remain home doing absolutely nothing or just waiting for death. But is that the meaning of retirement?

If you want to know the answer you can find it here.

The mature and elderly adults are so busy doing everything that they neglect to do the most important things. These are health and rest. It is, therefore, important that we focus on these two things.

Health

By the time we reach fifty, our bodies begin to change. The slow deterioration that started soon after birth increased rapidly and we are faced with many signs and symptoms.

Some of these visible signs are noted in the changes in the color and texture of our hair. It becomes thin, brittle and grey. Our skin becomes wrinkled and sensitive while the muscles and joints in our body begin to lose their resilient and strength.

If you can see so many changes on the outside of your body, can you imagine the changes that are taking place inside your body.

The human body contains some vital organs, and they too are deteriorating due to age. Unfortunately, because we cannot see these changes we tend to ignore them.

Since our bodies are declining, we also need to make some adjustments in our lifestyle to counteract them.

• We can change any bad eating habits. Do not eat late in the nights; decrease the fats and sugar from your diet and eat more green vegetables and fruits. You also need to exercise more often. The simplest form of exercise is walking daily.
• It is important that we wake up early in the morning to receive as much fresh air as possible. Spend a few hours each day gardening or attending to your plants. These actions will increase your oxygen intake.
• Ensure that you have your annual checkup and always be obedient to the doctor’s orders. If you have an ailment such as diabetes or hypertension, it is important that you educate yourself on the subject. Many diseases can be cured by a change in your lifestyles such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercise, and positive thinking.
• The Lord God is our great physician, and it is His desire that we are healthy. He can heal our diseases instantly according to your faith. There was a gentile woman who begged Jesus to heal her daughter and refused to give up even when Christ ignored her. Finally, Jesus recognised her determination and told her,

“O, woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.”

However, sometimes we confused fear with faith and may deny your illnesses and neglect the doctors’ order because of fear. In such case, you will not receive healing because God does not operate when fear is in your heart.

• The doctor will give you advise, and medication to heal your physical body and the Lord will instruct you through His words how to strengthen and build up your spirit. Obey both and eventually your healthy spirit will overpower your physical body and you will be whole.

Rest

I personally believe that as soon as you reach the age of fifty all strenuous labor must end especially for women. These include operating heavy machinery and lifting heavy loads. A man who is in good health may continue these type of work until retirement.

As the body ages, the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to bear the same amount of pressure that it use to do when you were in your twenties.

• Take frequent or long vacation. Learn to relax your mind and body and get regular massages. Enjoy lounging on your balcony, the beach or a nice hotel. If you cannot afford expensive getaways then remain at home and have a vacation every weekend by doing something relaxing.
• Those who live in the tropical areas such as the Caribbean are very fortunate to have plenty sunlight and beaches. Unfortunately, many people locked themselves in their cramp apartments when they are off duty and do not go to the beach or even to sit outside or have a barbecue.
• De-clutter your mind and kill the noise. You can first start by reorganizing your house and throw out the old things and refuse to buy anything new. Then it becomes easier for you to reduce the clutter and kill the noise in your mind. Everybody mind is cluttered with different things. It could be your job, money, children, books, shopping, and television.
• The noise is usually your materialistic dreams and desires. When the Lord told me to get rid of the clutter and kill the noise in my mind I obeyed Him and my life has never been the same. I can now hear the Lord clearly as He speaks to me frequently.
• Rest at the feet of Jesus. Be a Mary, who sat at the feet of Christ and listened to every word that fell from His mouth (Luke 19:38-41).
• When you feed on God’s words, your body, which is getting weak as a result of age will be strengthened. The Lord will also restore your youth and vitality.
• Rest in the rest of God. This rest is an intimate relationship with God which will refresh your body, spirit, and soul.

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