Birthday Perspective

When I was twenty-two years old turning twenty-three, life was good! God blessed me with the job of my dreams, the man of my dreams, the first house of my dreams, even the little black lab puppy of my dreams. I found a poster of a school--a Christian School-- I designed in eight grade shortly after I got the job at Heritage. It was so exciting for me to see that the desires God planted in my heart as a eighth grader ten years before had become real in my life.

Since then, I've been in the habit of thinking about teenage Jordon. As I turned twenty-four and twenty-five, I thought about what fourteen year-old and fifteen year-old Jordon would think of my life.

I just celebrated my twenty-sixth birthday, and I am doing my twenty-six/sixteen evaluation.

When I was sixteen I spent most nights, even school nights, with friends. I had a really close group of friends that year. I think at twenty-six I could say the same. I have some wonderful friends whom I appreciate greatly! Kim, Kelly, Steph, Sonia, and all of the ladies with whom I work (and have worked) at Heritage are so special to me. I think sixteen-year-old Jordon would be happy that I am still a person who is surrounded by many dear friends.

Sixteen-year-old me wanted to be in ministry of some sort. I thought missions or that I'd like to be a pastor's wife. Sixteen-year-old me might be surprised that my ministry is with youth, but not disappointed.

Sixteen-year-old Jordon dreamed of a time when I'd have no braces, no zits, and no weight problem. Two outta three ain't bad! :) (Though, the weight problem could come back if I don't reign in my sugar intake quickly! This week has been bad!)

Sixteen-year-old Jordon fought with her mom! Terribly! I got over fighting with her around the time I turned eighteen, and we became good friends. However, just this year, God has opened my eyes to see some of the hurts and wrong thinking I had and I have about my relationship with Mom. Some of the issues I had that caused the arguing at sixteen are finally being healed at twenty-six.

Sixteen-year-old Jordon probably would have seen the romance in being a military wife alone during a deployment waiting to have children. Twenty-six-year-old Jordon would appreciate life being easy more than romantic. In this year, I see that God has used this year to help me to learn to rely on Him and to make me more like Him.

Overall, I have to say, I have done well with Sixteen-year-old Jordon's life. I think she'd be happy (for the most part) with the way I've lived and the choices I've made.

Love to you all!

Twenty-six-year-old Jordon

23rd Mile

We took the kids on a mini-field trip on Friday to serve others which is cool, but not a part of this story.

On the drive, we passed a train. All of us in the car got into a discussion about trains. We were talking about whether we had ridden in one. My co-worker said that he climbed over one or ran through one once. I don't remember his exact words nor can I picture exactly what he was talking about, but here's the story. He is a marathon runner. He said that one time (he knew the date and race, but I don't remember that detail) there was a train stopped on the marathon route, and it was a long train. Since there was no going around it and there is no stopping in a race, he went over. He finished his story by saying, "It was sure hard to jump after running 23 miles."

Out of the 52 weeks that Ryan is supposed to be gone, we have only six or seven weeks left. So, if the deployment was a marathon--which in its own way it is--I guess I am nearing the 23 mile mark. I don't feel like I have enough energy to jump. There are times when I feel so weak, even physically weak, that I don't think I can stand up. But I will finish this race. I will climb and jump if required.

So many people are so excited for Ryan and me that this is almost over, but I just want to point out that at 23 miles the race wasn't over for my friend. He still had to cross that train and run. I still have more of my own race to go, and I am so tired. I am not celebrating at the finish-line yet. I am still striving to "run with perseverance the race that is set before [me]" (Hebrews 12:1).

Thank you for being there to encourage me in this race!

Jordon