Redeeming the Time

Another step in an effort to make the most of this one precious life.

“What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

I turned 51 in May. There was a time when that number was equivocal to “old” in my mind, but not any longer. Though my body is exhibiting the effects of gravity, too much sun, and post-menopause I find myself dreaming of the future.

My five babies are all almost grown, the youngest sixteen and about to start her sophomore year at a local private school after homeschooling her entire life. Only one, my son, remains under my instruction and he is more than capable these days. I don’t have to hover over his shoulder and, in two short years, he will graduate. Time has flown and crawled, sprinted and slugged along and now…here we are.

When I was 21, I took a semester off from college. A brand-new “baby” Christian, I had an epiphany, realizing quite suddenly that the path I was on was not the path for me.

And I had no idea what I was supposed to do.

One semester turned into years. I worked full-time as an optician (which I loved), we moved, he completed his long education (he is a physician) and we adopted five beautiful children who have consumed my life for the past twenty-three years.

But underneath, there was this nagging.

“Where did you go to college?” people ask. I answer truthfully with the name of the school I attended, but inside I cringe. Do I tell them I didn’t graduate? Sometimes I do, but most often I don’t. I know I didn’t “need” a college degree to do the work to which I was called for the past two decades of my life, but there is this niggling regret. I have a desire to finish what was started that has simply never gone away.

So I turned 51 in May, and in August I am going back to school. I feel called to speak and write into the vital concept of the New Covenant as a woman and ministry leader, and to do so (and do it well) I need to further my education. So, here we go! I am going to pursue a degree in English/Creative Writing with an emphasis in non-fiction. Starting with one class at a time until my son graduates I am going to chip away at those remaining 59 credits. I am both excited and nervous, and I hope this leads to further opportunities to learn…maybe seminary? Who knows? Well, actually Father does! And I’m going to lean in to Him. I know He will give me (has already given!) everything I need to fulfill the work He has called me to do.

Remember the quote above by Mary Oliver? “What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Well, Mary, I plan to keep learning and growing. I plan to serve God with my heart, soul, and mind in order to equip women to understand their position as daughters of a loving Father and live out of that place of Sabbath rest (Heb. 4:9). What an honor. What a holy privilege.