I believe that being 49andcounting brings with it a unique perspective on life. We’ve been around a few years (okay, maybe quite a few!), we’ve seen what life has been like “back then”, we remember “when”. And my, though I never imagined I’d be the one sitting in this position, I remember life before the dishwasher or microwave! I remember phones attached to the wall. Or tv’s with rabbit-ear antennas. (and when did the channel changer come along?)
Has it always been this way for those that reach the mid-century mark? Have those over 50 always felt that life has changed at a break-neck speed? And along with all those changes, at least in my world, has come fear. Fear for my children, fear for my grandchildren, fear for those sweet little munchkins at church.
My heart aches and my head spins just thinking that schools aren’t a safe place any more. Or knowing that children are abducted playing in their own yards.
My grandbabies can’t ride their bikes to the grocery store alone. Some of my favorite memories are riding to the corner filling station and spending my allowance on penny candy. And absolutely every summer day, I rode my bike blocks and blocks away to the swimming pool. More often than not, I’d leave to play somewhere within our block, early in the morning…make a stop at home for lunch, then off again until dark. Our mother’s knew that we were “playing with friends”, and we would all pass through ‘now and then’. I didn’t have a cell phone to keep in touch, I didn’t need one.
And so, this Grammy worries. About the state of our world, about the safety of everyone. About the loss of Christian morals and beliefs. About how life has “changed”.
Then today, I read this scripture:
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything in prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 4: 6
and this:
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it” –Psalm 118:24
And it came to me. I am to be anxious for nothing! All these changes…God has it handled. I am to give it to God in prayer, with thanksgiving…this is His day, the day that He has made! And this Grammy…well, I will surely be trying to Rejoice instead of worry!
49andcounting 
It’s a tough one, isn’t it? I know we aren’t supposed to worry. I know none of this has caught God by surprise – He knew exactly how our world would be at this moment in time. But, I struggle with the worry. I was like you – walked or rode my bike blocks to the local drugstore to buy an ice cream or candy – spent all day long at the vacant lot at the end of the block with the other neighborhood kids with nary a concern… and no way would I let my kid do that, and she is 15 and I wonder how dark and scary a place will it be for her own children… I have been trying very hard to place it all in the Lord’s hands and not freak out about it. Not totally successfully!