Hello, 8 year old self (I know you're in there somewhere, because a few months ago, you started writing a journal- consider this the most recent entry),
A lot of things can happen in 15 years, you know, and it makes me feel impossibly old. When you play dress-up or make up stories, the maximum age you envision yourself is 16- practically an adult. Trust me, by 16 you may have a driver's license, a summer job, and the beginnings of another language, but not much else in the adulthood department. By 23 you still haven't gotten married or your ears pierced, so you should be happy to know that.
You still like rainy days.
You never do end up running away from home. Home is a good place, and you'd only leave for the adventure of it. Writing from Argentina, the adventure hasn't left you, and neither has home.
You'll have braces for longer than they tell you, and you'll forget about your retainer after a month.
You'll never make another friend quite like Amanda, although every friend you make will remind you of her in some way, and you won't ever take them- or life- for granted. You still enjoy plenty of "alone time".
But enough of this hypothetical telling you past-future things. Because right now, I'm writing a children's ministry skit and I want to ask you a question:
Would you still?
I think you know what I'm talking about. That evening in your Newport bedroom (the walls were still pink, and you probably had a stuffy nose, like I do now...some things never change) when you prayed and "asked Jesus into your heart". On the one hand, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into. But then again, does anyone really know?
If you knew that simple prayer would define the next 15 years (and, God willing, more) of your life, would you still have prayed it? If you knew it would take you to The Dalles and Tennessee and Argentina and the ends of the earth, would you still have said yes?
I suspect you knew about as much as an 8 year old could, and maybe even more than this 23 year old does. But still...if you knew the years that I've lived now- every tear, trail, anxiety, decision, homesickness, move, grade, friendship- would you still have decided to follow Jesus?
They told you it was absolutely free, but did they tell you it will cost you absolutely everything?
Just a curiosity ;) Look forward to hearing back from you,
Peace, Jill
A lot of things can happen in 15 years, you know, and it makes me feel impossibly old. When you play dress-up or make up stories, the maximum age you envision yourself is 16- practically an adult. Trust me, by 16 you may have a driver's license, a summer job, and the beginnings of another language, but not much else in the adulthood department. By 23 you still haven't gotten married or your ears pierced, so you should be happy to know that.
You still like rainy days.
You never do end up running away from home. Home is a good place, and you'd only leave for the adventure of it. Writing from Argentina, the adventure hasn't left you, and neither has home.
You'll have braces for longer than they tell you, and you'll forget about your retainer after a month.
You'll never make another friend quite like Amanda, although every friend you make will remind you of her in some way, and you won't ever take them- or life- for granted. You still enjoy plenty of "alone time".
But enough of this hypothetical telling you past-future things. Because right now, I'm writing a children's ministry skit and I want to ask you a question:
Would you still?
I think you know what I'm talking about. That evening in your Newport bedroom (the walls were still pink, and you probably had a stuffy nose, like I do now...some things never change) when you prayed and "asked Jesus into your heart". On the one hand, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into. But then again, does anyone really know?
If you knew that simple prayer would define the next 15 years (and, God willing, more) of your life, would you still have prayed it? If you knew it would take you to The Dalles and Tennessee and Argentina and the ends of the earth, would you still have said yes?
I suspect you knew about as much as an 8 year old could, and maybe even more than this 23 year old does. But still...if you knew the years that I've lived now- every tear, trail, anxiety, decision, homesickness, move, grade, friendship- would you still have decided to follow Jesus?
They told you it was absolutely free, but did they tell you it will cost you absolutely everything?
Just a curiosity ;) Look forward to hearing back from you,
Peace, Jill
So love this, and you, at any age - Mom
ReplyDeleteLove you, too!
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