When I’m 40. 60. 80. (Day 22)

“When I’m 40 I want to be a woman of full of joy. I hope my life has been marked by generosity and compassion. May I be a mom who is fully engaged with her children. A wife who loves her husband with abandon.”

So reads a journal entry I wrote in my late twenties. Since that milestone may or may not have passed. I updated it.

What about when I’m 60? When I’m 80?

I listed more characteristics and qualities I hoped to possess at that juncture in life.

What do I want my life to be marked by? How do I want people to describe me? If I want to be a woman whose life is marked by generosity, what do I need to do today? If I want people to know me by my compassion, what step do I take now?  If I want to have a joyful spirit, what do I need to eliminate from my life that distracts?

This week of our 31 Days of Noticing Fall is centered around Harvest.

As I began thinking and preparing, these entries from my journals came to mind. In many ways they are what I want my harvest season of life to look like.

I have harvest moments weekly. Harvest gatherings seasonally. And a cumulative harvest I envision celebrating when my hair is gray. (umm grayer)

These days I’m living now are my labor. I am tilling the earth. Planting my seeds. Someday this work will be harvested. What will be gathered?

Today’s investment and choices and changes build upon one another and someday will be the life lived by that future 80 year old woman.  Beth Moore said “A victorious life is the culmination of many victorious days.”

When you envision yourself 20 years from now, who do you see?

What areas do you want to have victory over in order for that person to blossom?

What can you do today, what habits can you build into your life?

When I look to the future and hope to be a woman of kindness and generosity and love and joy- what do I need to do today?

As I imagine a golden crop. A harvest to rejoice in. Faces come to mind.

People who I’ve had the privilege of meeting who are full of character and qualities I hope to have.

People who radiate joy. Not because their life has been easy. Not because they have followed what life said will be success. A joy that mesmerizes. A joy that reveals a life well lived. A joy that has built up so much richness it must overflow into the lives of those around them.

Some of the first people who come to mind are David and Helen Clark.  We met them when Rob was pastoring in Seattle.  David was a “retired” pastor whose congregation welcomed our new, young church plant to meet in their church building.

He is a man whose eyes really do sparkle.  When you meet him you are aware that he is focused and listening to everything you have to say.  Possessing an amazing gift of believing in you and believing in what God is doing through you.

One of my first thoughts upon meeting his wife was that she was a spark in gray Seattle.  She had an aliveness.  She was living life and enjoying it.  She asked great questions and had led an adventurous life.  Life had made them fuller, rather than wearing them out.

After Rob and I moved from Seattle, we were in Minnesota for a while.  David and Helen drove from Seattle to Minneapolis to attend his 55th reunion from Bethel Seminary.  Yes, I did say they drove (that’s 1200 miles!) and yes it was 55 years since receiving his Masters of Divinity.

We were in a season of uncertainty and I treasured the hours we got to spend with them, to help put life in perspective and to remember to dream and to trust.

When I began writing this blog, I imagined a once a month interview. A place to glean the experiences of others. To be in community in discovering what noticing God looks like. At all stages. In all careers. In disappointments. In celebrations.

I am thrilled to say that I am interviewing David and Helen- about a life well lived. About how they pay attention to God.  About reflections on life from their perspective.

Please check back in tomorrow- I know you will be encouraged and blessed by them.

Harvest.

I’m participating with The Nester in 31 Days of Noticing Fall. This is Day 22.

You can find all 31 Dayers here. There are so many wonderful topics.

If you missed any days in the series, you can find my posts here.

Linking with WIP Wednesday, Multitudes on Monday, Hear it on Sunday-Use it on Monday and The Better Mom

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