Hitting the big 3-0 and taking stock of life (Charis ponders)

There are only a few instances in your life when you celebrate growing older. Your first birthday, your sweet 16 and your welcome party to adulthood at age 21 (or 18 for some). After that, you just want to bury all thoughts of growing older until when you are maybe, 60 - a ripe old age when you are considered wise and have contributed a lot to society. To me, my age stopped increasing at 25 :D

This year as I turned 30, I tossed around having a celebration for myself. Would it be awkward to throw oneself a party when you are already THAT old? Is there a reason you want to celebrate growing OLDER? But as I watched an insightful video (appended below for your viewing pleasure) on TED.com about how society views other 30 year-olds, I start to take stock about my own life. All 30 years of it.

The brunch party I threw myself for my birthday. It ended up to be very chaotic but fun
with all the young children around. I thank God for friends in Bangkok who can celebrate
my life together with me.

At 30, I am happily married to a wonderful man for the past 3 years, have a beautiful and cheeky boy who keeps me young and have opportunities in life many envy (though I always tell them that the grass is always greener the other side). I have what I need, my family is healthy and safe and I have no undue cause of distress or sadness in my life. I have, what some would call, a charmed life. I guess that is reason enough to celebrate and give thanks for :)

My beautiful family. I feel that my calling now is to be a good wife and mother
to these two boys. The briefcase would have to wait.

BUT! Just a few days ago at our Wednesday Bible Study group, many questions kept me thinking. Were there things that I had to turn down so I could pursue something that was greater? What goals am I pursuing? Do I have a bigger picture in my life? We wondered what Jesus did in those years from when he was 12 till when he started his ministry at 30. Did he know that he only had 3 years? Even with just 3 years, he achieved so, so much. I remembered then I had dreams I wanted to pursue. Dreams that are kept on hold or tucked away now. Do they matter now? What am I doing now to pursue them? Nothing much, I thought sadly.

What I know now, is that this is my season to be a good wife and a mother to my family. But it's also time to set down what my future goals are and start to work towards it. My prayer for my 30th birthday this year, echoing Moses' prayer in Psalm 90:12, is for God to "teach me to number my days" or "teach me to realize the brevity of life" so that I may not let this life, precious as it is, fleet away leaving nothing behind. I hope this prayer will be yours too :)