Okay, I know that’s not how the song goes. It’s just I turned sixty-two a couple of weeks ago. Retirement age, yet I don’t feel anywhere near sixty-two. In my mind, I feel closer to forty-two. There are hundreds of things I still want to do. Things like going back to school. And traveling to Hawaii and through Europe and going to Israel. Watching our grandboys grow up, and being a part of their lives.
Usually, when I have a birthday, it’s miserable. My oldest daughter almost died on my twenty-fifth birthday. I lost my best friend on my thirty-eighth. I almost lost my wonderful grandma on my fifty-second. Since my early twenties, birthdays have been marred with breakups or family drama, sickness, and death. For many years, I didn’t celebrate it, choosing to honor the day the Lord saved my soul.
But this year was different. For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful about the future and what it stores for me. Instead of dreading the day, I embraced it joyously. The last fifteen months have been difficult but God guided me through it, growing my faith and teaching me to find joy even in sorrow. He’s given me peace in some hard decisions I’ve had to make and answered my prayers in ways I never thought possible.
So what can I expect in the coming year? A lot of changes! Danny will retire sometime next year so that’s a big shift in our lives. And I’ll head back to the classroom to get my degree in history. I’m spending more time with my family, particularly my parents and my sister. Mom continues to decline and is confused most of the time now. Daddy is doing better after his health scare this summer, but being Mom’s caregiver is taking its toll on him. I want to spend as much time as I can, loving them.
I’m also working with Meals on Wheels to provide dinners to homebound elderly people in our community. One of the things I’ve noticed with my own parents is that our elderly population isn’t getting the vegetables and fruits they need for good health. In fact, some have to choose between paying for medication or buying food. Food insecurity among our older population is REAL. How can we teach the love of Jesus to people with empty bellies?
Though I’ll continue to write, I’m not pressuring myself to submit or adhere to deadlines. I’ve been on a constant deadline for the past twelve years so it’s time for a change. All those things I put off until I got a book done, finished a proposal, or wrote a synopsis–I’m catching up on them now. Most likely, I’ll post my new work here, one chapter at a time, and then list it on Amazon once I’m finished with the book. I’ve got a book of devotionals written that I’ll release when I can.
I’m excited for this new period of my life and all it will bring. I hope you’ll come along with me on the ride!
