Thoughts on 30

Today my husband is married to an even older woman. I couldn’t come up with 30 thoughts on 30, so here’s 10 (in no particular order):

1. October used to be a stressful month for me, for whatever reason: grades were due, students weren’t scared anymore, I had to plan new curriculum and grade essays, I wasn’t looking forward to my birthday. This year, however, I am relaxed, and I was looking forward to my birthday for weeks because I knew my husband was trying to hide gifts! and my parents were coming to visit.

2. My dream job of being an editor is closer than it ever has been. In the mean time, I really enjoy my job and the people at work. This is the first “Christian job” I’ve ever had, so it’s a nice change. I love the time I have by being part-time, and I am seriously considering never getting a full-time job again EVER.

3. I used to read fiction almost exclusively; whatever nonfiction I read was for college, school, or a Bible study – in other words, required, and most of the time I completed it! Now, I have gained a new appreciation for nonfiction on my own, thanks to my husband’s own love of nonfiction. And not having any cable TV helps too. Some books I’ve read in the past few months or am reading currently: Every Man’s Battle (Arterburn & Stoeker), Lies Women Believe (DeMoss), The Power of a Praying Wife (Omartian), The Way Home (Pride), Simply Christian (Wright), The Freedom Writer’s Diary (Cruwell), Funny Letters From Famous People (Kuralt).

4. Since June, John and I have engaged in a no-cable-TV experiment, with a membership to Netflix as a replacement (the one-at-a-time choice). This means unless we watch something we already own, we only “get” to watch 2 movies a week at most, depending on how fast the mail is. I think this has promoted communication, creativity, and communion in our home. We’re still debating if we’ll ever get cable again!

5. God designed gardening for those who have an innate ability to coax beauty from the earth – and for people like me who have little patience. After we moved this summer, it didn’t take very many days of working outside for me to realize, Wait a minute, I don’t get to see any of the pretty flowers and stuff until NEXT SPRING. Good grief that’s a long time. So I look at the bare flower beds and envision the array of colors that will bloom in due course, and settle down for winter with plans of what to plant in March.

6. Bunnies used to be very cute. But not when they eat my plants in the backyard!! I think we finally piled enough dirt at the bottom of the fence that he’ll give up trying to dig back in…. Unless he’s just gone south for the winter.

7. Turning 30 really doesn’t bother me like it does for some people. I don’t know why. Maybe because at least once a week someone tells me I look like I’m in high school. Then the comments stop, and I know it’s time to cover up the gray roots in my hair again.

8. Because of scrapbooking, I am now willing to have more pictures taken of me, even though I am the MOST UNPHOTOGENIC PERSON IN THE WORLD. I could post pictures here to prove that, but why ruin my birthday with reminders?

9. From reading the awesome book, Lies Women Believe by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, I saw that one of the many lies I have believed is “I can’t help the way I am,” thereby excusing my behavior or attitudes. The truth is, I am responsible for my own choices, and I can be changed through the power of the Holy Spirit. How liberating to know that I DON’T have to be “that way”!

10. I’m 30 years old, I’m married, I (we!) have a house, I garden, I scrapbook, I have a blog. Hm. What to do next….