Happy Birthday Ken!

Posted by Terry McNichols

Today one more person joins me in the 60-and-over age bracket. My husband, Ken, has caught up with me once again. Ken's wish list for his birthday includes a senior membership to the health club and a wagon. Yup, he wants a wagon to pull his grandkids around. Looks like a good plan for the upcoming years -- keeping healthy and playing with our peeps. Happy Birthday hubby!(photo by intimaj, shared via Flickr)

Rerun Tuesdays - On Turning 60

Posted by Terry McNichols
(This was posted near the time of my 60th birthday -- I wasn't feeling terribly "young@heart!)

I turned 60 last week and it was a day I was dreading. I didn’t expect that 60 would come so quickly, or that it would be fraught with aches and pains. I always assumed I would age gracefully and beautifully, able to stay active, travel, enjoy my life. But sometime before my birthday I somehow injured my knee and couldn’t take my walks, could barely get in and out of my car, couldn’t garden, and couldn’t get down on the floor with my grand babes. Guilt upon my head for all those times I walked ahead of my own mother, agonizing at her slow speed and trying to hurry her along. It is not easy to slow me down and I resent the very idea that I might not be able to do whatever I want to do.

Sure you can keep telling me that I still have many wonderful years ahead, but I believe that I am going to need to work hard to make that happen. So I am resolving to work diligently on that knee and keep it functional for just a few more years.

It is pretty easy, during the down times, to start to think that my usefulness is pretty much in the past. Maybe I don’t have any more energy or talents or gifts to offer for the betterment of the world, I begin to think. Time to shrivel up and call it a wrap. But in the midst of thinking these happy birthday thoughts, a thank-you card arrived in my mail from Leona’s mother, an 81-year old widow who is still actively living out her place in the world. The quote on that card is the theme of this blog about grace and gravity. Leona and I have always dreamed about teaming up on something, anything. We’ve teamed up on many great family outings (yes, she’s married to my brother), lots of fun times together, great conversations, dreams, ideas, years of supporting each other and our families. We’ve weathered a lot of storms together. And now we are venturing out, to see if we indeed have anything new to offer to the vast internet community. Here, then, is the quote:

"BLESSED ARE THE AVAILABLE
Blessed are the conduits, the tunnels, the tools.
DELIRIOUSLY JOYFUL
are the ones who believe that if God has used
sticks and rocks to do His will, then He can use us."
Max Lucado

My birthday

Posted by Leona Bergstrom


Today I am celebrating my 57th birthday! I have always loved birthdays, and this year is no exception for me. My family has already thrown a party and given me some awesome gifts. I’m traveling the whole week of my birthday and can’t wait to enjoy the East Coast with my husband – including a Broadway play in New York City! I find this season of my life to be filled with new experiences, adventures and opportunities.

Several years ago a friend of mine sent me a birthday card that I have kept, treasured and shared. It encapsulates my hopes for this day!

Sometimes a birthday isn’t our favorite day.
We look in the mirror and wonder,
“Who is this older person who suddenly appeared?”
Funny how we never really noticed her before.
Welcome her.
She comes bearing gifts of perspective and wisdom.
She is your finest accomplishment
---So far!

(Photo by babymellowdee, shared via Flickr)

Happy Birthday Leona!

Posted by Terry McNichols


By my reckoning, if you are 57 years old today, we have known each other for at least 37 years. I count it a privilege to be related to you and look forward to growing old together. Hopefully, we'll hold each other accountable to live out all the things we have been writing about for making our "later years" happy and productive! You go girl!

" Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather is one of those things that give value to survival." C. S. Lewis

(Photo by Katch, shared via Flickr)

On Turning 60 - Terry speaks

I turned 60 last week and it was a day I was dreading. I didn’t expect that 60 would come so quickly, or that it would be fraught with aches and pains. I always assumed I would age gracefully and beautifully, able to stay active, travel, enjoy my life. But sometime before my birthday I somehow injured my knee and couldn’t take my walks, could barely get in and out of my car, couldn’t garden, and couldn’t get down on the floor with my grand babes. Guilt upon my head for all those times I walked ahead of my own mother, agonizing at her slow speed and trying to hurry her along. It is not easy to slow me down and I resent the very idea that I might not be able to do whatever I want to do.

Sure you can keep telling me that I still have many wonderful years ahead, but I believe that I am going to need to work hard to make that happen. So I am resolving to work diligently on that knee and keep it functional for just a few more years.

It is pretty easy, during the down times, to start to think that my usefulness is pretty much in the past. Maybe I don’t have any more energy or talents or gifts to offer for the betterment of the world, I begin to think. Time to shrivel up and call it a wrap. But in the midst of thinking these happy birthday thoughts, a thank-you card arrived in my mail from Leona’s mother, an 81-year old widow who is still actively living out her place in the world. The quote on that card is the theme of this blog about grace and gravity. Leona and I have always dreamed about teaming up on something, anything. We’ve teamed up on many great family outings (yes, she’s married to my brother), lots of fun times together, great conversations, dreams, ideas, years of supporting each other and our families. We’ve weathered a lot of storms together. And now we are venturing out, to see if we indeed have anything new to offer to the vast internet community. Here, then, is the quote:

"BLESSED ARE THE AVAILABLE
Blessed are the conduits, the tunnels, the tools.
DELIRIOUSLY JOYFUL
are the ones who believe that if God has used
sticks and rocks to do His will, then He can use us."
Max Lucado