So long, twenties
Well it's done. I'm officially thirty. Three life lessons come into focus as I reflect:
The world is big.
Rwanda. Uganda. Scotland. Wales. England. France. Italy. Guatemala. The year I first stepped foot out of the country (besides Mexico, that doesn't count right?), I went to all these countries. My world perspective expanded exponentially. And so, too, my convictions. I was no longer naïve. No longer living in my own young narrow self-focus. In my early 20's, I've learned to live with healthy tension: between enjoying blessings and giving blessings away. I am so fortunate to have had those experiences early on in my life. The world is indeed big.
Marriage: don't give up.
At the ripe ol' age of 21, I got married to my high school on-and-off-again-boyfriend. I've shared about our journey before; how it was harder than I thought. My fairytale expectations met real-world issues in one gigantic clash that lasted six years. It was devastating and disheartening. With encouragement from friends, wisdom from marriage counseling, and strong convictions from God, we never gave up. Close at times, but never walked away. And I am so glad we didn't. I would have missed hearing Jake swoon over our daughters while playing in bed on a Saturday morning. Or see his compassionate heart when we traveled to Rwanda together earlier this year. In my mid 20's, I learned that marriage is hard, but despite how deep the wounds and hurt are, God can help redeem, restore, and rebuild if you are willing to put in the work. It will certainly take supernatural help to be kind, gracious, compromising, patient, and empathetic when it counts most.
Slow down.
Life is fast. There are checkbooks to balance. Groceries to buy. Shifts to work. Dinner to be made. Taxes to be filed. Birthday parties to attend. Trips to coordinate. Deadlines to meet. DVR to watch. The world will constantly be competing for our time and attention. I like being busy. I like being productive. It's hard for me to sit still. But in my late 20's, I've learned that you'll miss the sweet small moments in life if you are living at marathon-running speed. I haven't perfected this yet. My iPhone is still attached to my hip. But I'm getting better. I need to get better. Because Avery loves to be tickled until she can't breath. Harper loves to be chatted to and played with. And Jake loves my agenda-free company. I'm living with eyes and heart wide-open to the big and small blessings in life. But if I don't slow down, I'll miss them entirely.
Along with these life lessons, my 20's were filled with some awesome experiences:
- gorilla trekking and wild life safari's in Rwanda
- graduating college in 3 years
- being a bridesmaid in 10 beautiful weddings
- white water rafting the Nile River in Uganda
- spending New Years under the Eiffel Tower with Kristen
- working my dream job for my dad's company
- welcoming Avery into the world, and 3 years later her welcoming Harper in the family
- road trips with girlfriends (and sometimes getting matching tattoo's)
- a long warm South Caribbean cruise with the Clark's pre-kids
- pulling off a surprise trip to Vegas for Jake
- getting debt free (minus house)
- serving with doctors in traveling medical clinics in Guatemala
- sleeping in the police office at the Milan, Italy train station because we had no where to stay after missing a mid-night train
- almost running a marathon
- epic Mexican vacation thanks to the swine-flu pandemic
- watching a Shakespeare play in his home town Stafford-Upon-Avon, England.
- my wedding day!
- and the countless meaningful and uneventful days in between!
Woven throughout the entire decade was a single thread. The only constant. The only sure thing. God. Although my mood and circumstance changed, He did not. Sometimes I couldn't feel it. Sometimes I couldn't understand it. Sometimes I doubted it. But my vision is in focus now. Healed wounds allow me to see clearly again. He was faithful. And I am thankful.
With that said... Goodbye twenties.
Hello thirties!