10 years ago today, I was a twenty-five year old bride-to-be about to walk down the aisle. Today at age 35, I am a wife and mother about to celebrate 10 years of marriage. I can't help but think what would I say to 25-year old Susan if I had a chance.
Dear Twenty-Five Year Old Me,
"In just a few days you are about to become Mrs. Young. It will be one of the greatest days of your life. I bet right now you are looking forward to you California trip in a few short weeks with your husband. You are looking forward to moving Jeff into your one bedroom apartment where you hope to only live a year while you save up for a house. And yes you look forward to starting a family in a few years (after you enjoy some time with just the two of you.) You hope to have two or three before you turn 35.
Listen, I know you think that you have it figured out but that's not the journey the Lord is about to take you on. The path you are about to take will have it's good days and it will have it's bad days. You will have days where you question if the Lord has forgotten you and Jeff. You will grow in your faith and you will learn some lessons that were not too easy to swallow. But remember that no matter how hard the road gets for you there is joy to be found on your journey!
The hardest lesson you will learn over the next ten years is to surrender to the Lord's plan for your life. While all of your friends are buying houses and having babies--this will not be your story. Your story will be that you will live in your one bedroom apartment for almost 7 years. You will have a baby in your 8th year of marriage. And even though His plans NO WHERE resemble the plans I have mentioned about above, I promise you they will be sweet ones as long as you remember to trust the Lord to direct you on the path He has designed just for YOU.
Today I celebrated my 35th birthday and my day started off with my husband saying "Happy Birthday" after a long night at work. The first words out of your 2 1/2 year old son's mouth was, "I need cake-cake." Followed up by him insisting that today is his birthday too. The rest of the day he will serenade you with his own version of Happy Birthday where he says, "Happy Birthday to you and me!" over and over again. It will be the highlight of your day. Later you will recieve many phone calls, text messages, emails and facebook friends wishing you a very happy birthday. You will end the night hanging with your best friend Susan from high school. The day will be full of blessings because you chose to live with joy in the moment.
Susan if there is anything that I can pass on to you to make the next 10 years sweeter is this: Trust that God has a plan for your life and never forget this. Cherish the years in the waiting with Jeff, they will be looked back on with great fondness. Enjoy the journey and make it a part of each new day to CHOOSE JOY.
God Bless your journey-
35 year old Susan
