4 X 10 = 40!!

40. It's really a great number. It's not young. But it's not old, either. It's an even number. So symmetrical. So middle-ish. So half-ish. I've been married exactly half my life now. I'm probably right smack in the middle of my life, if I'm the average American woman. You can divide it into perfect 4ths...10 years at a time. Wow...my life from 1-10, 10-20, 20-30, 30-40. Looking at those decades is mind blowing. What's in store for this next set of 10 years. Will they be as unique, exciting, and challenging as the last ones? What will be? could be? might be? hope to be in the next 10? I can think of things that might be on the list, but how will they be? joyous? heartbreaking? certain? sad? glorious? graduations. colleges. weddings. daughter in laws. son in law. granbaby. books. moves. decisions. funerals. health. friends. Yesterday, someone welcomed me into the best decade of life! Let it be so. And let me handle each moment, each day, each year with grace.
   On this special occasion of the beginning of my 40th year, I'm going to try to make the most of that number! I thought about making a list of 40 things each day during my 40th year! But that's a bit much! I"m thinking that just 4 things at a time will have 10 times the time impact. (4 X 10 = 40).
    4 things I loved about my 40th Birthday:

• Birthday wishes from all corners of the world that reminded me of the tapestry that is my life -- local friends, co-workers, missionaries. people from childhood, former pastorates, friends of my parents (even though my parents are gone, they still remember me!), a bunch of kazaks and tajiks :-), relatives, step relatives, half-relatives, and adopted relatives. my twin. my AR bff, my TN bff, people I've loved, hugged, and even some I've forgotten. Thanks for not forgetting me.
•  Sitting around the very own backyard bonfire (my bday gift!) with  David and the kids. It's now affectionally called the "BONDfire" by Libby becuase it was great family bonding!
• Hope.  Hope that the next 40 years will be even more full and fulfilling than the last 40. Even with it's trials, it's what the Father ordered for me!
• My BLACK JACKET-  not spiritual, or meaningful. Just material. If you know me well enough to be reading and enoying this post, you'll know it's a big deal! It ends the search that I"ve had going for months now! I['ve been to every "fluffy girls" store this side of the mississipi hunting for one to add to my wardrobe! I finally found the blazer I wanted, and I bought it for myself for my birthday!! and wearing it right now!  A perfect accessory for the perfect birthday!

 

Let the games begin!

After 16 days of separation we are reunited. My husband, and high school sweetheart, returned from a mission trip last night, and I was like a giddy school girl. I wanted to hold his hand, walk arm in arm, and never leave his side. We've been apart lots of times before.  LOTS. Actually, there have been times I've felt kind of guilty that we could easily endure being apart. We have friends who have said..."oh, we've never spent one night away from each other in 20 years!" Maybe it's because God gave use the grace to endure because our circumstances demanded it, I dont' know. But THIS TIME was different. I'm not sure what it was; maybe I"m just different. But during our time away, I desperately missed his companionship and affection. I realized now that I tried fill that emptiness in other ways -- I bought more clothes, ate more chocolate, organized more closets, and drove my kiddos crazier than I ever have before! All I know is that during those last few days, I determined in my heart that from the moment he returned I was going cherish every moment with him more that I ever have before! It's only been 12 hours, but I've kept my promise!
   I also determined that I was going to add a marriage book to my reading list for this month. I downloaded the book Pastor Rob mentioned in church yesterday, Life Long Love Affair, by Jimmy Evans. And, of course, the FIRST words hit me between the eyes!
           "One of the ironies of contemporary family life is that many people who are good at intentional parenting are lousy at intentional marriage." -- William J. Doherty.
Wow. Yes. We spend an inordinant amount of energy working to produce (as if it's us, not God! but that's for another entry!) great, godly kids that we are often out of energy or ideas when it comes to our marriage. In fact, I think I've often bought into the idea that having good kids is proof of your good marriage. No more...let the intentional marriage games begin!