When I grow up...

During my childhood, I was blessed to know many women who started new hobbies/careers late in life. So even now, I'll say "When I grow up, I want to..." and people, especially kids, will look at me in the strangest way.

Two years ago I had a very startling reality check that should I live to my eighties (when most healthy people in my family seem to die), then my life was halfway over. While it was shocking, it was also a very good motivator. I've started doing some things I've always wanted to do but just never seemed to have the time for.

I don't know if I will ever do any of these things, and some of them are NOT realistic at all, but here's my future career list:

• quilt shop owner
• restaurant owner
• nurse, working on something like the Mercy ship
• an author
• a publisher
• house supervisor at a children's home

As you can tell, I won't accomplish most of these. And that's okay. But I am VERY thankful to live in a country where educational opportunities, even for frivolous things like quilting and art and writing, do not end with formal education. We are blessed with so many opportunities. When I think of how many countries I would not even be able to read, much less write, because I am a girl, it almost takes my breath away. In college I often wondered why God blessed me so much by having me born as an American when there are so many smarter and more talented people in this world who don't even have one-fourth of the opportunities I have been gifted with. It's startling, and also makes me want to treasure every opportunity that comes my way.