So yesterday I turned 26 and started down that steep slope to 30. Yikes. I've been thinking and I have some observations about my life so far.
-I'm not married. I can remember being 16 and thinking the angst of life would finally be gone when I graduated college and got married at 21--1 year early because I am so smart. In reality I graduated when I was 23 and a semester late because I changed my major 3 times. Geez.
-I'm still in school. Like I said, I planned on being halfway to retirement by now. It's funny I can't really remember what I thought I would be doing. Maybe a teacher? Or a Paleontologist? Who knows.
-The last couple years I've gone from thinking about nothing except the good things of God and how He wishes us nothing but prosperity and great lives not only here on earth but in heaven to thinking about how messed up we as human beings really are and how maybe God's plans for us arent actually for us so much as for others. I also still can't write a sentence clearly or without it being a run-on. See.
-When I was in high school, my parents were mild annoyances, sometimes major road blocks to my convenience. Now they are friends. Wierd.
-One of the greatest joys of my life as a child was drawing. I remember myself and a friend creating a whole world filled with people we called "Punk-wheels." They were these strange "people" without feet. Instead they had some sort of wheels-hence the name "Punk-WHEELS." Also they were punk rockers. I still like to draw but have realized my skills as a child have not transcended into adulthood.
-I have only been out of the country once. This is actually better than I had planned. I used to think I would never get out of Fairfield Illinois-let alone the U.S. Thank God for that.
-I mentioned Paleontology earlier. When I was a child I probably knew more about dinosaurs than most teachers. I actually corrected the teacher once in 1st grade and she invited me to do presentation for the class about dinosaurs. I actually did an awesome job. I made a kick-butt "dino-rama" and lectured extensively for 5 minutes. It was great and my first academic victory. If only I had that same enthusiasm today. My love for dinosaurs has also been one of my biggest stumbling blocks to my faith as well. I have yet to find a truly satisfying explanation to where dinosaurs fit in with God's story.
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So I am sitting here with all these observations and wondering about my life. How did I get here? Where am I going. When I am 30 what will I be thinking?
And I remember Jesus' words in John chapter 1:
" 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"
37When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"
They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"
39"Come," he replied, "and you will see."
So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. 40Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). 42And he brought him to Jesus.
Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter[j])."
Jesus didn't tell them anything. He simply invited them to come with Him. That simple verse seems to be the theme to life as a follower of Christ. To simply come along and see with our own eyes and experience and taste and touch. And do. And feel.
And live. With Jesus. With others.
To serve.
To not worry about myself so much and look to the needs of others.
To deny myself for the sake of others.
Hmmm.
peace out,
hersch
