I've not been gone; simply many life changes in the four years since I last posted an entry. Here are the highlights:
Both Waylon and I have fully retired from full-time work.
We sold our home in the country and moved across the state to settle in Montgomery, TX.
We have traveled the road of various health issues (Waylon), and I have moved into the realm of the "old" as I passed the 65 milestone.
We are closer to extended family, and our daughter and her family have also recently moved near us. God continues to bless us in ways beyond our imagination.
The most significant change for me was a decision that didn't come easily. I have always loved school and learning. I could be a perpetual student and love every minute of it. However, I decided to return to formal schooling a few months ago. I am enrolled in a degree plan for a Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling. I recently spoke at my Bible study group to about fifty women and used the examples of women who accomplished monumental things late in their lives. Some days I realize deeply that most of my life is behind me. Yet, on other days I am filled with the desire to keep growing and expanding my life in ways that may seem foolish to others. What will I do with a Master's degree at my age? What benefit will it be to others? I'm not pursuing it to accomplish any one thing. I'm simply following the prompting from God to do it!
The first-course submission was a challenge. My writing wasn't up to current guidelines. Did you know it is no longer standard to put two spaces after a period in writing? My typing instructions from the 1970s are all wrong. That was just one aspect of returning to school; others were time management, reading detailed texts, and sometimes questioning why I was doing this. The satisfaction of learning new things and expanding my knowledge of subjects is a wonderful benefit of being a student once again.
Yesterday I stopped by the local yarn shop to pick up some supplies for a contract knitting piece. As I was visiting with the ladies in the shop I made the comment "Why did I think going back to school at age 65 is a good idea?" One of them said to me "You would still be 65 if you didn't, so why not do something you love?" That is my challenge to you today - do what you love. Listen for God's prompting in your life and after prayerful consideration follow that prompting.
In Bible study at Lone Star Cowboy Church ladies' ministry, we are delving into the book of Ecclesiastes. The third chapter is a well-known one, with a long list of seasons. There is a time for everything, and though our lives change in circumstance, our ability to adapt through it all is a chance to explore what God may have in store for us. I may be having to relearn grammar rules, but the more important thing I'm learning is that God is not done with me yet! Every day is a new day to learn, grow, love, and serve Him. How will you do that?
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