change

It's amazing how things constantly change, and yet stay the same. Life is always moving forward, sometimes at a snail's pace, other times racing so fast it's impossible to keep up.

I turned 30 on Thursday. I woke up, and found that I wasn't worse for the wear. I didn't wake up with a silver mop of hair on my head... I didn't wake up with rheumatic arthritis in my toes... I didn't have new, honorary crows feet at my eyes. Things were pretty much OK.

There are a few things that make me feel like I'm not 16 anymore.

• I use anti-wrinkle cream around my eyes (I guess I'm pretty worried about those crows feet!!!). 
• I dye my hair (and not just for fun...). 
• My postpartum belly. Enough said.
• Listening to the interns talk about the shows they grew up watching. Ben Maughan was 5 years old when I was 15. Holy. Crap.

There are still a few things that make me feel like the best years are ahead of me, though. :) I love to think about these things, and celebrate them... they help me to forget that my youth is probably gone for good, and that I'm moving into a new phase of "I'm really an adult now... no turning back."

• My wonderful husband. I wouldn't go back to the first 5 years of marriage for anything... you couldn't pay me enough money... but, God has taken what we made ugly and turned it into something more beautiful than we could've ever imagined. I look forward to this new, amazing time in our life together.
• Andrew.
• My Community. I have the most wonderful, genuine group of people around me. My family is amazing, and my friends are each a gift from God. He's allowed me to take a couple of those friendships to a whole new level of "spurring" within the last couple of years, as well as mended some broken relationships that I thought didn't have a chance. He is truly making all things right.
• Music. I still love to sit down at the piano and lose time for awhile, whether it's in Clair de Lune, something I'm making up, or a great new worship song for church.
• Work. I love teaching, and however long I do it, I cherish the opportunity. It's challenging, fulfilling, and is my "dream job" - besides being Adam's wife and Andrew's mom, of course! I also love being on staff at my church. I work with amazing people and am blessed beyond measure... being paid to do something I love! I also love delving into my childhood memories and learning to crochet again. My Grammy taught me how a long time ago, and it's been so amazing getting back into it. I'm excited to learn new crafts as well (such as sewing, cooking... etc), and engage in these more classical forms of homemaking.

God, thanks for the past 30 years. Thanks for the rest of the time You've allotted me. I pray I use it to Your glory, and for Your kingdom. Paul was right when he said that living is for You, and dying is even better! I love the lines of this song...

When we arrive at eternity's shore

Where death is just a memory and tears are no more

We'll enter in, as the wedding bells ring

Your bride will come together, and we'll sing "You're beautiful!"