turning 40.

Well, I turned 40 last month. Can you believe it?

My friends and family made it very special with fun food and gifts. Because you’re just dying to know, here are the books I got:

 

 

The novel in the bottom center, Peach Blossom Spring, is from Book of the Month Club. My brother and his wife and another friend each gave me a 3-month subscription, which means I get to pick out a new book for 6 months. I’m very excited about this, especially because Book of the Month Club often features brand new writers or books that haven’t been released yet.

 

 

It’s a very sweet season in which to be turning 40 years old.

I love, love all the ages our kids are right now. And while David and I often say we wish we could freeze time, we’re also so excited to see the people that each one of them grows up to be.

We’re also in a great season at church, especially post-Sabbatical, with the rest we were able to get as a family this summer. Although it’s certainly not without it’s growing pains. We’ve passed the 500-person threshold of members and regular attenders at Cola Pres, so we’re definitely a medium sized church now. David and I have found ourselves struggling a bit to find our places as we grow, simultaneously missing the days in which we as a couple could know every member of our congregation, while at the same time thrilled with the larger staff God has brought us and how much richer they make every aspect of church life.

There are so many years when I’d never have believed I’d still enjoy being a pastor’s wife at 40, but I feel inexpressibly grateful that God gave us the strength to endure these last 9 years. There are things I would never have learned about myself, about friendship and community, and ways I simply wouldn’t have grown spiritually if we’d left during different seasons when one or the other of us really wanted to.

I can truly say with Dietrich Bonhoeffer,

Therefore, let him who until now has had the privilege of living a common Christian life with other Christians praise God’s grace from the bottom of his heart.

 

 

But back to the kids for a minute: I actually think it’s less strange turning 40 than it is have a son who’s over 5″9″ and wears size 10 1/2 shoes! This time next year he’ll be driving. How did that happen??

You may remember that we threw David a huge 40th birthday party back in October; well he asked if I wanted something similar, and I said “No way!” I’m not a huge party type of person. Several months ago I discovered that the Broadway show, The Lion King, is coming to Columbia for the first time this spring. I told David that all I wanted for my birthday was to go as a whole family.

I thought there was a good chance he’d send Amie and me, but I didn’t really count on all of us being able to go, since six Broadway tickets are not exactly cheap. But lo and behold, that’s what I got!

 

 

I’m so excited. David and I saw The Lion King on Broadway almost 12 years ago, during the summer we stayed in New York for some training to live and work in India. The show was a magical experience, and even David, who generally dislikes musicals, said it was incredible. Since then, it’s been a dream of mine to take whichever children God gave us (we didn’t have our boys back then) and all go together.

So that dream is coming true March 31st. I can’t wait!

Yes, this new decade has gotten off to a fun start. As I think of the decade ahead, the verse that repeatedly comes to mind is Psalm 112:7:

He (she!) is not afraid of bad news;
Her heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.

I don’t know what these next ten years will hold. The last ten certainly brought both joys and sorrows that I never imagined. But even with the hardest things, God proved Himself good and strong and faithful. And so I don’t need to dread what may or may not come. I’m simply free to relax in my Father’s love and rejoice in 40 years of life.

Today I can truthfully say that I look forward to the days to come.