The Finale of a Decade

"Most people, looking back at their childhood, see it as a misty country half-forgotten or only to be remembered through an evocative sound or scent, but some episodes of those short years remain clear and brightly coloured like a landscape seen through the wrong end of a telescope."  --D.E. Stevenson

"Thirty is an attitude.  If says you know what you're doing and you've got what it takes to get where you're going.  The fact is, you've never been better or smarter or more ready for adventures than you are right now.  So welcome to prime time."  --Unknown

"Thirty was so strange for me.  I've really had to come to terms with the fact that I am now a walking and talking adult."  --C.S. Lewis

"That is how you know you've left childhood behind -- when you wish for time to go backward."  --Alice Hoffman

"Do net regret growing older.  It's a privilege denied to many."  --Unknown

"I'm not a perfect person, I make a lot of mistakes; but still, I love those people who stay with me after knowing how I really am."  --Unknown

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream..."  --C.S. Lewis

This week, my third decade on this earth ended.  30. years. old. !

That's a hard pill to swallow.  But I'm in the process of embracing it.  What a beautiful journey I've been on thus far and what an adventurous life I have yet to live.

I remember my mom telling me stories of thirty...where she was at that point in her life, struggles, things she had to cope with, pouring into kids, a beautiful marriage with Dad.  I miss her.  I wish she was here to experience her own daughter's 30th year of life.  Gracious knows that in the past 3 years, I've NEEDED her advice and feedback and guidance more than EVER!  Needing one's mom never really ends, does it?  I'd even submit that it only increases with time.  My, I've longed for her hugs, talks, and most especially her God-given insight.  She was a rarity. 

And how she would adore Blu if she had met him!  I know they'll be the best of friends once we get to Heaven. 

But even with my Judy-longings, I can stop and see how my life is abundantly blessed.  I can see how my upbringing and my parents' molding has shaped me into who I am today.  I can see how my decisions and my independence (and my stubbornness!) has impacted my journey, opened many doors to create priceless memories, and closed some doors along the way as well.  I can see so much now, in hindsight, those same qualities allow me to acknowledge regrets but keep moving on.  I can see friendships along the way, how I've failed to be a true friend time and time and time again, how certain friends have loved me unconditionally and deeply, how some friendships faded in and out or we just went separate ways entirely.  I can see now why God gave us community.  I can see now that so much in this life isn't about rules and regulations, but rather it's about the heart behind an action.  The soul behind motivations.  The prevention of future heartache.  The intention of genuine kindness.  The world has enough criticism; it needs more unadulterated kindness that is purely illogical. 

Thirty years.

The age when childhood truly takes a backseat.  It's the age when, if it hasn't already, a life is set and geared up to fulfill a purpose.  A purpose beyond oneself.  A bigger, grander intention that encompasses so much more than a Bucket List or a "things to do while you're still young" blog post.  (Don't worry -- I still crave adventure and have multiple to-do-ASAP-in-my-life lists of my own!  I want to live fully and experience as much life as I possibly can.  Even so, those longings are pretty inwardly focused.)

Jesus began his ministry at thirty years of age. He was doing and saying things not-of-this-world before that.  But there's an obvious turning point in Jesus' life.  There's a shift.  A juncture where priming reaches ripeness and....   it's time.

And I want to model my life after the God-given example of my savior.  I will totally fail.  I'm so much less than Jesus.  But my own new decade milestone is thus far a wake up call to an obvious turning point.  A shift.  I'm at a juncture where it's time for me to start fulfilling my purpose.

Yikes! I'm kinda nervous. What will this turning point look like?  I have no idea.  But I can feel big things on the horizon.  I pray I'm ready. 

Lord, help me live for You and for your glory.

You are so, so good.