Dear Me at 33

Dear Me,
You survived 33.

You have more wrinkles. And your gray hairs now require more than just tweezers. You can't stay up late like you used to and the thought of having a night at home in your PJ's is almost equal to a night away dancing.

Almost.

You have battle scars from this year. It beat you up a little. It made you fight to be more of who you are. It made you grieve over things not yet happened, over too many things that went awry and it made you long for the the Home in which you were created.

You learned how to make the salted caramel sauce that has completely revolutionized your life.

You de-cluttered, simplified, and ate a lot of quinoa. You lost weight, gained weight and then lost it again (almost).

You had some unbelievably great cooking classes, completely void of food poisoning, house fires or blood. You realized that food is more than just something to eat, it a vehicle for friendship, comfort, culture and love.

You went on a few horrendous dates.  And then you had a few really good ones. They almost balance out except for the guy who looked like serial killer.

You now have to sleep with an oxygen machine. It is zero percent sexy.

You had to release a few of your dreams and plans. This was the hardest part of your year as you wrestled and waited and wrestled some more. God brought you to a place of heartache and then you (eventually) allowed Him to help you rebuild something new and better.

You have been blown away by high school students who know more about the Bible than you do.

Your car is still running. That will always be a highlight to any year.

You spent three days on the beach by yourself and it was exactly what you needed...especially when the Navy SEALS ran by.

Your friendships grew deeper, richer, became more valuable. You saw God work through people who then worked through you.

You cried over a boy. I hate when that happens, but you did. And he wasn't worth it.

You spent an entire day with your nephew and you found yourself completely in awe of who he is becoming: one part child, one part young man.

You became a bigger fan of your dad, more amazed at your mom, a more obnoxious cheerleader of your siblings and a better friend to yourself.

You survived year 33, but let's conquer 34. You are more than a conqueror in Him.


With great anticipation,
You