Fortysomething and Fearless!

[Shylynne]

Fortysomething and Fearless
With Babbie Mason


In a world that celebrates youth, how do you feel about being fortysomething?
It feels great! When I turned 40, I realized what a gift each day is. Now one of my pet peeves is women who lie about their age. Instead of hiding our years, we should be speaking to younger women out of our life experience.

Why is that important?
God's given us gifts, passions, and insights over the years that younger women need to hear—and that they want to hear.

What do you want to say to younger women?
I want to say, "Let's be real." For example, the other day as I was getting dressed, I realized how much I put on to hide the real me. There are the high heels to give the illusion I'm taller. And I put on at least two pairs of shoulder pads because each pair is supposed to take off five pounds.

Really?
Oh, yeah. They make you square instead of round and raise your shoulders, which gives the illusion of height. Next, I put on my makeup, complete with concealer, lip liner to define my lips, and mascara to define my eyes. Then I blow dry and curl my hair and make sure my nails are painted and pretty.

That's a lot of stuff!
Exactly! It seems as though we're constantly primping and pushing, pumping and padding. But I want to challenge us to take off our masks and share the real us with others. When I'm speaking at Women of Faith conferences, I'd love to go onstage all decked out and one-by-one peel off the different layers I have on. Then when I'm standing there with no makeup and no shoulder pads, I'd remind all the women that God loves us at that level—when we feel vulnerable and even ugly.

What advice would you give to parents of teens?
I'm not the perfect mother, but one thing I try to do is stay involved in the lives of my sons. Whether it seems like they want us in their lives or not, we've got to stick with them. It can even be as simple as playing board games or softball together or attending their school activities. We don't have to be in their face, just in their life.

Babbie Mason, a Women of Faith guest speaker and performer, is also a teacher, a board member of Emerging Young Leaders, and a recording artist. Her most recent album is No Better Place (Spring Hill).

[Shylynne]

"Let's be real."  I love it!  

[Shylynne]

I cant be the only gal here that is forty and something!  

   

[LennyToo]

Shy,
No honey, you are not alone. I am working on my "red hat" so I'll have it ready in a couple years!!! LOL

[Shylynne]

Shy,
No honey, you are not alone. I am working on my "red hat" so I'll have it ready in a couple years!!! LOL

Oh why wait, wear it now!  
 
I`m 40 and loving it!  I think the "something"  part scares my hubby a little tho  LOL    

[annie]

I turned 40 this year.  

And realized I have a responsibility to be there for younger Christian women.  
Encouraging them... Praying for them... Counseling them...  

I guess the Lord made me see I now fall into that older and wiser category.  
Just praying that I follow His direction in reaching out to the young uns.

[Shylynne]

Hi annie!     This is a wonderful realization! I dont believe I would  be where I am today if it had  not been for the influences of Godly women in my life, those who have shown me the way by word and deed ...my prayer is let me be as one of these!

[No Gray Areas]

 I m forty too

[Shammu]

Bump

[annie]

Any other ladies out there?  

[Shylynne]

 ...............  there there there there there there

[spud]

Any other ladies out there?  

Hi I'm a lady out here.  Maybe that's being abit presubtious of me.  I sure hope I spelled that right.  I'm a rotten speller, but just ask me to draw something and I can usually.  I live in PA and I am a dog groomer by trade and a artist by God's grace.
Spud (Cheryl)

[Shylynne]

Hiya Spud! I cant speel OR draw, but I can read any sort of typenese     Welcome to the forum, I love the "artist by God's grace." God bless you!

[Shylynne]

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW -- What a Ride!

~Anonymous