Yet Another Birthday!

I just had another birthday. This year I’m 63. I’ve never been “afraid” of an age or intimidated by it. It is a privilege to grow older, and each year brings new lessons learned and new people to love. One of the things that always seems a mystery to me, though, is how the years have gone by so incredibly quickly. One day, I was 23 and just waiting for life to unfold, and the next day 40 years have passed.

When I turned 23, I was engaged to be married. R.J. and I were in the process of selecting our wedding date as we began to figure out how to combine our individually flawed natures. From my perspective, I had already figured out a lot of things. I had given up denying that I was going to be a teacher “just like my mom” and was in the final year of college prep for that career. I was gearing up for student teaching in first grade at the Fountain City, WI, elementary school, which I would do during the winter quarter. I had a core group of amazing friends thanks to Koinonia, a campus ministry singing group that I had joined as a freshman. I loved writing poetry (or occasionally songs) to express my feelings. Music soothed my soul. I had gained so much confidence in spiritual matters after really studying the Bible for the first time during my college years. I still hadn’t worked a “real” job, only campus jobs, but how hard could that be? I had survived heartbreak, interpersonal conflict, and massive sleep deprivation. I had resisted most of the college vices. I was ready for whatever life had for me!

This is young me, shortly after getting married.

Of course, I wasn’t. Who could ever really be ready? Who would even begin to want to know all that life would hold? Over those intervening 40 years, there have been so many indescribably wonderful moments and so many others that would have liked to rip my heart out. I was NOT ready, but even so I am forever grateful for the foundation that was set in place while I was in college. For me, those years were pivotal in forming my world view and in establishing my faith disciplines. I was a baby (and blissfully unaware of that), but at least I was looking in the right direction.

I love my life. It is far from perfect, and I am far from finished learning the many lessons God has for me. Birthdays are a time to reflect, I suppose, and also to look forward. As long as I’m on this earth, my hope and prayer is that I keep a desire to learn more, to be correctible, and to encourage others. When I experience heartbreak, let me lean into Jesus and not pull away from others. Let me accept help graciously and offer help freely. Help me not to become self-absorbed but instead to see that the struggles that others are facing are as important, as difficult, and as devastating as mine. Help me live and love generously. Pull me closer to you, Lord Jesus.

I’m so thankful for another trip around the sun!

Me of the here and now 😃