Twenty-three
Its my birthday week. (Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to celebrate for a whole week.) In my mind, I know twenty three is still quite young. But my heart is having a small panic attack because I really thought I would have my act together by now.
I thought I would be able to keep one energetic dog from getting lost for, you know, at least five minutes. I thought I would know how to handle a raging toddler during prayer meeting. I thought I would have canned peaches. (Yes, you read that correctly. I am a Mennonite wife and I have never canned peaches. Or green beans for that matter. Don't worry, the earth will not spin off its axis.) And I certainly hoped my living room ceiling and trim would be painted by now. But the reality is I haven't mastered or accomplished any of those things. There's no guarantee they will happen before I'm twenty four either. I'm learning to be ok with these facts.
I'm really not sure the purpose of life is to get our act together. I doubt Sarah felt like she had her act together when she started into labor at ninety years old. I believe life is for living.
It's for giggling in a store because I look rediculous in these.
It's for spontaneous trips to the library and trying out all the cushions.
It's for watching a blazing sunset with your husband.
It's for splashing in the river with your baby.
It's for ignoring the raspberry stains on her tiny clothes.
It's for laughing and crying and embracing the important things. My spatulas and rose bushes can be replaced; relationships and memories can't be.
So here's to remembering what's important. Here's to twenty three.
I thought I would be able to keep one energetic dog from getting lost for, you know, at least five minutes. I thought I would know how to handle a raging toddler during prayer meeting. I thought I would have canned peaches. (Yes, you read that correctly. I am a Mennonite wife and I have never canned peaches. Or green beans for that matter. Don't worry, the earth will not spin off its axis.) And I certainly hoped my living room ceiling and trim would be painted by now. But the reality is I haven't mastered or accomplished any of those things. There's no guarantee they will happen before I'm twenty four either. I'm learning to be ok with these facts.
I'm really not sure the purpose of life is to get our act together. I doubt Sarah felt like she had her act together when she started into labor at ninety years old. I believe life is for living.
It's for giggling in a store because I look rediculous in these.
It's for spontaneous trips to the library and trying out all the cushions.
It's for watching a blazing sunset with your husband.
It's for ignoring the raspberry stains on her tiny clothes.
So here's to remembering what's important. Here's to twenty three.
Happy Birthday, Geneva!! We must be or nearly are twins for I turned 23, as well, on Tuesday. Hope you have a wonderful week celebrating and these were wise words. It's not really our age that matters- it's what we are filling those years with that truly matters. Blessings!!
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