“We have a strong, vibrant marriage. I don’t say that in a bragging way. As an ‘older woman’ I want you to know that marriage gets better and even more fun as the years go by. But it still takes work! I have learned to be an honest communicator. As much as Don loves me – he can’t read my mind! So if it’s important to me – I let him know. I try to set him up for success.” Inspiring Women: Life With Dixie
Dixie and I met many years ago when she and her family started attending the same church my family went to. Little did we know that our children would one day marry each other. Dixie has been a wonderful mother-in-law to my daughter Charity and blessed me with the best bonus-son a mom could ask for. Dixie is a lovely Christian woman with lots of wisdom to offer young mom’s and wives.
Inspiring Women: Life With Dixie
A Little About Me
It’s official. I’m an older woman and I guess I have a few things that qualify me as an older woman. Lots of happy face crinkles frame my eyes. I visit my hairdresser regularly for a touch of ‘summer beige’ to cover the grey. Don and I have young adult children who don’t live at home anymore. I’ve been married for 33 years. In August I turn fifty-eight and this December I will be a Grandma! Yup, it’s official!
But I’m ok. It’s a role I am embracing. I want to do it well.
Two young Moms have asked me to mentor them! They are struggling with strong-willed little girls. I know that battle. I have some strategies that worked and some that didn’t.
As I read the other Inspiring Women posts, I was excited and encouraged to see women honouring God. Honouring God in the day-to-day struggles of marriage, parenting and work.
Hang in there girls and keep up the good work! Our world needs good Christian moms, wives and employees! May this good verse inspire you as you deal with the reality of the tiredness of life.
Have you noticed that women usually introduce themselves based on the important relationships in their lives? Our relationships seem to define who we are. With that in mind, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I am following Him on this journey called life.
A Little More About My Important Relationships
What are the other relationships that define who I am? I’m married to my best friend, Don. He is a man of integrity and wisdom. I still laugh at his jokes, that’s true love.
We have a strong, vibrant marriage. I don’t say that in a bragging way. As an ‘older woman’ I want you to know that marriage gets better and even more fun as the years go by. But it still takes work!
I have learned to be an honest communicator. As much as Don loves me – he can’t read my mind! So if it’s important to me – I let him know. I try to set him up for success.
Don and I have different strengths, and we work well as a team. He sees the big picture, and I work on the little details. He sees the worst-case scenario and prepares for it. I see the best and help him have hope.
Our marriage is strong because over the years we have weathered many storms. Those storms made us hold onto each other and even tighter to God. But they were hard.
We’ve coped with periods of unemployment and all the uncertainty that goes with that. This was harder, as we were a one-income family.
We coped with the heartache of two miscarriages. One involved waiting a full year before another pregnancy could even be considered.
We worked together when my Dad was diagnosed with dementia. Our family lost him a little bit every day until the day God took him home. We worked together when Don’s Mom was struck and taken by a terrible cancer. Don and I dealt with the sudden tragic death of Don’s brother, Barry.
Trusting God when things don’t make any sense was and is a real test of our faith. Someday in Heaven, we will know why. Until then we keep trusting our Great God. He has proven Himself trustworthy.
These storms of life are not ones we would choose. We came through the storms, and we are different because of them.
I’m not sure what storm you may be going through. Please know my friend that God is with you. Hold onto Him whatever storm comes your way, and He will lead you through.
My Joys
Being a Mom to Dan and Katie is one of the great joys of my life. Time has flown by and both our children, our chicks, have flown from the nest. Our special assignment from God is complete. We have with God’s help reached the goal of raising independent, responsible adults who are living on their own. I will always be their Mom, but the day-to-day parenting is done.
Our son Dan works for the Henson’s, making Superior Maple Syrup. He loves working for a family business. On Facebook, he is known as Maple Man and has some fun promotional videos. Superior Maple Syrup
Dan is married to Charity; we call her our bonus daughter. Charity is the answer to our prayers! They just bought a home here in the Sault. They are expecting a baby in December. I get a live baby doll for Christmas this year! Charity is Cindy’s oldest daughter. I promise to share the baby doll, Cindy.
Katie lives in Blind River. She is the program director for Galilean Bible Camp. She loves camp life. This spring we packed up her stuff and moved her into her home. We teased her that she was our last little chickie to leave the nest. As her Mom, it has been a humbling experience to see God at work in her life. She became a One Hope Canada – full-time missionary. Whew! Never would have guessed that when she was a strong-willed two-year-old.
You Moms with little chickies – make every day count! Keep teaching, keep saying no, and keep taking them to children’s ministries. Keep being involved in their sports, their schools, their friendships and their struggles and successes.
You are instilling morals and values all the time. You are preparing them for life! One day your nest will be empty too.
With the last little chickie out of our nest, Don and I are officially empty nesters. After some adjustment time, we are having fun and feel a bit like honeymooners.
With Don’s gracious support and encouragement, I am embracing this new stage of life! I asked myself – what do I want to do with the second half of my life?
My Typical Day
As an ‘older woman’ and an empty nester, my daily schedule has different priorities. While I have breakfast, I have my quiet time. Time to study and pray and write. I heard somewhere that God is waiting to meet with us in the morning and that He is sad when we don’t show up. I am in awe that the God the Universe desires a relationship with me! This is the favourite part of my day!
I set four priorities for the day, the most important tasks that need to be done. The tasks may involve preparing for the ministries I am involved in. Or they may be homemaking tasks like laundry, menu planning and cooking. Or caring for our ageing parents, with appointments and visits.
Don and I walk most evenings. Then we watch a little bit of prerecorded T.V. before bedtime.
Struggles I’ve Been Through
I want to live life abundantly. Jesus said, ‘I have come that you might live life abundantly.’ John 10:10 Jesus paid a huge price when He died for me on that awful cross. When I just get through life it minimizes the huge sacrifice He paid for me to live. I want to make my days count!
My dreams
What is abundant life for me?
Abundant life is spending time preparing for and speaking at women’s groups and coffee hours. With God’s power, I encourage women. I want to offer hope because of God’s love for us!
Abundant life is a lunch date with my best friend, Gwen. A friend that supports sympathizes and listens. Recently, she challenged me to put six things into a ‘spiritual bucket list’. Love that idea.
Abundant life is mentoring young Moms. Offering a listening ear, insight, supporting them in prayer and giving them hope.
Abundant life is offering Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University classes as a Bible Study in our home. Don and I meet with couples and share God’s way of dealing with money. We see lives and marriages changed.
Abundant life is co-leading Friendship Group. It is a uniquely designed Church service for special needs adults. We sing, pray, have good teaching, and fellowship. We also have craft nights and parties. Their simple faith always makes me smile.
Abundant life is writing. I blog at https://littlestepstohealth.com I want to empower, equip and encourage women to take little steps to health for their body, mind and spirit. I have fun recipes and devotionals too. These little steps have helped me lose 25% of my body weight and keep it off for over 8 years. Every little step makes a difference!
Abundant life is cottage life. God has given Don and me, a beautiful little spot. God loves us extravagantly, and we feel blessed every day. This is one of my dreams come true!
Abundant life is preparing to be a Grandma. I’m so excited about that new role. This little baby is prayed for daily and loved.
Abundant life is learning to be still and know that He is God. I have time to read and think. Listening for the Holy Spirit’s prompts and acting in obedience is something I am working on. I wonder what blessings I miss because I am not obedient?
I challenge you to make your own – ‘Abundant life is’ statements.
Moments with God
When I see God’s hand at work, I call those times my ‘God moments.’ One of my favorite verses is:
I love to tell my ‘God moment’ stories to friends and family. It may be a little something – like helping me get the bumblebee out of my car. Yikes! I’m afraid of bees! God helped me remember that I had just bought a big cushion which I used to swish the bumblebee right out! No harm to the bee or me!
Sometimes my ‘God moment’ is bigger. Recently we had to have our fourteen-year-old dog, Bristol put to sleep. I saw my Great God’s hand at work in so many ways. God worked out details for an appointment right away. Bristol was not in distress, and the kind Veterinarian reassured me three times that it was the right choice. I wept as I said good-bye to my friend. I wept more because I saw how God cared about all the details even to the last breath of my little dog. His love for me overwhelms me, and I marvel at His attention to detail.
Please be encouraged that our Great God cares about all the details of your life too. No detail is too small for His attention.
Thank you, Cindy, for the opportunity you have given to us. The opportunity to encourage each other on this journey called life.
I hope you could see from Dixie’s post how much she notices God’s love and care for her. Would you like to read about a mom of three who shares the challenges and joys of parenting little ones? Click here: Life With Rachel
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