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Turning 40 meant admitting I'm no longer a "miss"; I'm a "ma'am." A hot date with my husband now consists of his-and-her chiropractor appointments. I wear Sagamore-brand separates because, frankly, I do. I get zits and wrinkles. Even my deodorant has a moisturizer in it. So what was there to celebrate about The Big 4-0?
Oh, my friends celebrated. They surprised me with a cake decorated with a tombstone. Others sent me dead roses and black balloons. They wrapped up Ex-Lax and Super Poli-Grip in ominous "Over-the-Hill" gift paper.
My family knew they'd better watch themselves, or they would have eaten their last hot meal. So they gave me a box of chocolate turtles and my annual mysterious kitchen implement. The children smirked as they sang "Happy Birthday," but diplomatically avoided the "How old are you?" verse. My husband, Steve, told me I was more beautiful than when he married me (thankfully, he's always been delusional). I was relieved when the hoopla died down.
The truth is, after I turned 40, I felt as though the "good old days" were gone. I've had to say hello to clothing with waistbands cut above the waist, waistbands cut below the waist, waistbands cut anywhere but at the waist. My jeans, like my skin, are definitely a "relaxed fit." I wistfully recall the days when I wore a svelte Little Black Dress to parties (sigh). Now I wear a Big Black Dress.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity," I read about the woman. "She can laugh at the days to come." Laugh? I was more into whining … until God convinced me there is something to celebrate about growing older. In fact, as I studied the Bible, I was surprised to find he had exciting ideas for people over 40, such as Sarah, Abraham, Caleb, Anna, Elizabeth, Zechariah, the apostle Paul, and the apostle John. In my "old" age I finally discovered three things to celebrate about life after 40:
There's a plan for us!I feared life after 40 might consist of sagging, bagging, and dragging until death. I raised some great excuses to God about why I could no longer be used by him. I reminded him how Brain Drain had set in: On a good day, I can remember two out of three of my children's names; twice this week, I've tried to unlock the wrong green minivan in the Kmart parking lot. "How can you speak of some new plan for me?" I asked God.
Yet when God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, Moses probably had written off the remainder of his life, too. After all, he'd spent decades doing nothing more inspiring than sharpening his sheep communication skills. Then, wonder of wonders, Moses heard God's voice calling him.
"You want me to do what?" he stuttered, wide-eyed. "You're not serious!"
"I am," said God patiently. "And I have great plans for you."
Moses responded to God's proposals with rationalizations based on his inadequacies. Finally God got through to him, and used him to set a whole race of people free.
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