With Age Comes...

Over the past few days I've had a few reminders of who I was then and who I am now.

Last night was our prayer and Bible study time with ISCA.  The sun room was full of folks from all around the world, I got to meet some ISCA neighbors, and the study was rich.  I find myself diving in...and talking WAY too much.

"Back in the day" I wanted to make sure everyone knew I was scholarly, intelligent and very well-versed in Scripture.  I would raise my hand and offer my pearls of wisdom every time a question was asked.  As I've aged, I've come to realize just how patient my fellow study-goers actually were.  Last night, I kept catching myself holding back; waiting to see what everyone else had to say.  I still talked too much, but I'm constantly enthralled with what these young men and women share as well as the questions they pose.  Tuesday evening is now my favorite time of the week as I am filled to the brim with wisdom from every age and nation imaginable.

After the meeting we spent some time discussing our transition into ISCA house ministry.  I'll be honest, I am a planner.  I like to have specific dates, specific instructions, specific agendas...you get the idea.  I just want all those ducks in a straight, orderly row.  "Back in the day" I would have been highly offended that everyone wasn't wound as tightly as I am.  But last night, I just let it go.  I had some of the information I needed, and I had most of the dates, and that was enough for last night.  I didn't need it all right then.  It was so nice to see that maybe I am growing more laid back and just a little less "puckered."

Today, I had the rare privilege to have lunch with one of my sweetest friends.  She's just a few years ahead of me in this parenting journey, and actually brought along her first grandbaby.  That little bundle is just about the cutest thing ever, and I was so excited to get to be part of Grandma's first outing.  As is often the case around lunchtime, the little sweetheart simply wasn't in the mood for sitting in the booth, listening to grandma and her friend yammer on and on, and she made herself heard.  We did some tag-team grandma'ing, standing-sitting, rocking-jiggling, patting-rubbing.  We pulled out all the tricks, and both wound up saying at some point, "I've had four kids...I know how to do this, right?"

While we didn't get to do as much catching up as we may have liked, it was fun to take turns with the baby, remembering how we would somehow go out with three little kids AND a baby on a regular basis.  How did we survive that?  We did more than survive, though.  We both now have four grown children who are thriving.  We had friends we turned to in the same boat, and we had older ladies to look to for hope and encouragement.

Here we are in the same boat again.  My friend and I had each other to look to when we were perplexed by this baby who just wouldn't be satisfied.  We have each other to look to for encouragement when we have weddings to plan and in-laws to share our children with.

I am not who I was, yet so much is the same.  Friends and relationships have always been so much more important than schedules or knowing all the answers.  People are what really matter.  With age comes wisdom (and grandbabies)!