Adventure Is Out There

Another year has come and gone.  The older I get, the quicker these things sneak up on me it seems.  This has been the 8th year I haven't visited a bar or drank alcohol to ring in the New Year.  I am not saying it is a bad thing but for me, it is.  This has also been the first New Year's in 6 years that we haven't spent it around a bunch of crazy teens.  While I missed that, it was nice to just do nothing, more or less. 

With that being said, it is a time to reflect on the previous year.  As is most years, it was a turbulence of emotions and events.  It was a year of self evaluations and a year of seeing where we fit into this crazy world, so to speak. 

My daughter has been thinking about becoming a missionary for the first part of her adult life once she graduates.  She wants to attend a missionary school nearby and see the world.  She has an adventurous heart.  Therefore, she has been on this kick about asking me what adventures I have been on.  In which I reply - none.  So she asks me various scenarios to see if I have done them such as skydiving, riding a camel, etc.   I quickly realized that it feels as if I have wasted my life.  Sure, I have done a few things such as swim with stingrays and swim an underground cave but that seems small in comparison to the big picture.

We watched The Secret Life of Walter Mitty this evening and, again, it seems the same theme smacking me in the face.  What have you done that is worth telling?  Sadly, not much for me.

I wasted the first 30 years of my life with alcohol and drugs.  I spent time in jail, in abusive relationships, partying, getting wasted and just hating life to the point that I didn't care if I lived or died.  It is hard to believe that it has only been 8 years that I accepted Christ and turned my life around for the better.  However, it doesn't change the fact that my life has been less than adventurous. 

My daughter wants to travel and see the world.  She wants to help others and make a difference.  I applaud her for that but there is a bit of jealousy and sadness wrapped in the pride and excitement I have for her.  Jealousy because I know she will do it.  I know she will see many areas of the world that I will never.  She will have more adventure in a few years than I will ever have.  Then sadness - sadness that she will be so far away.  Sadness that we can't laugh until our sides hurt, sit and read together or go to the mall. 

Adventure is out there.  We just have to grab it.  My life isn't over yet.  With that being said, 2014 is going to be one crazy ride.  There is so much going on and so much change happening. I am a creature of habit in every sense of the word.  So, facing change head on is a scary thing but thankfully, I have Matt to go on the crazy train with me.  This coming year I have our annual youth rally to start thinking about, then Caleb graduates (gulp) and need to plan an open house, then VBS, then thinking about Caleb going to college (which terrifies me), vacations, ministry, getting healthier ..... and trying to work two jobs. 

Where does adventure play into all of this? 

I am unsure.  All I know is that, like Walter Mitty, my life is not worth a few pages in a journal.  However, even though my pages may be blank, I hold the pen.  If I want change, I will have to put the ink to the paper.

So, bring it on 2014.  As cliche as it sounds - the best is yet to come!