“Hey Girl! We See You”

I’m the youngest in my family.  And the only girl.  I have three older brothers; 7 yrs, 11 yrs, and 13 yrs older than I.

That’s quite a significant gap.  As my sweet Mother used to say, I was “of God’s planning rather than man’s.”  

In other words, I was a “Surprise!”  

Story goes….when my 3 brothers learned my Mom was pregnant, they exclaimed with disappointment, “Why would you want to mess this up?” 

Laaaaawsy!  Now, I love my big brothers.  But truly.  I learned to hold my own at an early age.  lol

My husband, Paul, is 11 yrs older than I.  Tragically, Paul’s first wife died of breast cancer at age 36, leaving behind 4 children:  a son and 3 younger daughters.  When we were married the children were 5, 7, 11, and 14 yrs old. 

I was 25 at the time.  Clearly, women with children in that age group were significantly older.

I’ll never forget accompanying our oldest daughter across her middle school campus with the principal one day for some reason.  He casually – and rather boldly, I might add – remarked that I looked a bit young to be her mother.  

Without thinking, I told him I used Oil of Olay.  Of course.  What other explanation would there be?

What????  He looked rather surprised, so I quickly regained my parental persona and explained our family situation.  Not that it was really any of his business.  (rolling eyes emoji)

It has been a journey, to say the least! 🙂

Anyways, the point is….

Through the years, in every category – socially, professionally, family, etc – I am used to almost always being “the youngest.”

Until recently.

Earlier last summer, I was invited to be on a women’s event planning committee at our church.  Soooooo.  Very.  Exciting.  And fun.

However, halfway through our first meeting, I suddenly had a stunning realization.  It was one of those moments that causes you to stop.  And glance around the room.  And catch your breath.  And try to digest what you are perceiving.

And put on your best poker face.

I looked around the room and realized….I was the oldest one on the committee.  

Whaaaaaat?????  Wait just a second here.  Hold up.   Something is bad wrong.  JNR (just not right).

You all just don’t understand…  

But.  Yep.  Yes indeed.  Truly.  Absolutely.  Without a doubt.  I was in fact, the oldest one in the room.  How could this be?  Hello…doesn’t everyone know I’m always the young thing??

Now, just for the record.  A word in my defense.  It wasn’t like I was the oldest of hundreds.  There were only 7 of us.  

(I think that makes a difference.  Don’t you)?

Well.  As the ideas continued flowing for the event, I grew a bit quiet.  Still digesting.  Reminiscing.  Processing.  Assessing.  Recovering. 

I hoped they didn’t see it on my face.  I’m sure I zoned out for a second.  Or maybe two.

Anyways.

Never in a million years would I have come up with the fresh, succinct phrases and concepts being tossed around by some of our younger committee members.  Like popcorn.  Back and forth.  Playing off of each other’s suggestions. 

It was a beautiful thing.

Well, OK.  To be clear.  The ideas weren’t coming from some of our younger committee members.  Once again.  They were ALL younger.  (I‘m still absorbing…)

Phrases like, “Hey Girl!  We see you!” And some totally wild ideas for breaking the ice and helping women relax and have fun together.  Wild ideas that left me wide-eyed with a teenie tiny bit of blush in my cheeks. 

Evidence, once again, that I was…ummm…older.

And concepts like naming the event, “HereNow.”  HereNow.  Wait.  Give this Baby Boomer just a skinny minute.  Let me think about that.  Let my brain synapse all that just for a second.  Or maybe two.  It’s not that I’m older.  I’m just….

All right, all ready.  Older.  Lawsy.

HereNow.

As in, this event is all about being here and now.  Fully present.  Into what’s happening tonight.  Over the next 2 hours together.  Not about what’s going on out there.  On devices.  On social media.  In texts.  With other friends.  

OK.  Nooooooow I get it.  Wow!  I like it.

After my (older) brain finished synapsing (is that a word?) for a few minutes, I’m like, “Hey (younger) girls!  That’s ALL brilliant!  And I NEVER would have come up with ANY of it.”

(Of course I kept that part to myself).

Truly.  Not in a gazillion years.  Maybe not even when I was 25.  Even though, this most definitely was not my first time to the women’s ministry rodeo.  Nope not at all.

Sooooooooo….where does this new experience of (ahem) being older leave me?  

(Do I HAVE to I say, being the old-EST)?

Sigh.

It leaves me remembering the message of the couple in the old, beat-up blue truck.   

It leaves me appreciating newness.  And freshness.  And adventure.  And change.  And forward, not backward.  And the value of multi-generational connections with women.

It leaves me absolutely loving younger women!  And hanging out with them.  And listening to them.  And valuing them.  And learning from them.  And enjoying them.  And laughing with them.  Until my belly hurts. 

And realizing how much I need them in my life…

It also leaves me remembering Truth.  

Truth like:

“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland…”   (Isaiah 43:19, NLT)

If every there was a season this Truth applies on a personal, national, and even global scale…it is now.  

The question remains, however, “Are we ready?”

Are we ready for the Spirit of God to impact our very own, personal HereNow in amazing ways far beyond our wildest imaginations? 

Are we open to readjusting our thinking and perceptions of what should be?  Of how should be?  Of where should be?  Of when should be?  Of why should be?

Are we willing to let go of the perceived safety of what has always been, in order to make room for the adventure of what will be? 

Are we ready to embrace the wonder and unknown of our Father’s new?

Or, are we clinging to what is…what once was…what always has been…what we think should be..and so on, and so on in our lives?  

When we follow the God of Infinite Love and Creativity, well, absolutely ALL of it is on the table.  

And ironically, letting go is the only way to truly obtaining.  

Surrender is the only pathway to living in the Divine Heights.

Heights of joy.  Heights of purpose.  Heights of fulfillment.  Heights of meaning.  Heights of significance.  Heights of adventure.  

Heights of Relationship.  Heights of Love.  Heights of Intimacy.  With The Almighty.

Surrender is the only pathway to experiencing Eternal Life.   

It’s staggering, really.  The possibilities of what He can do through a surrendered heart.  Well, there are just no words.  

But…surrender requires, by definition, hands off on our part.  

Hands off in the same way a passenger on the Boeing F/A 18F Super Hornet fighter jet keeps hands off the controls while the Top Gun-Maverick-pilot-person maneuvers his way upward, crashing through the 10G barrier.  (Sooooo LOVED that movie.  Four times).

Surrendered.

Before the Creator of the Universe.

Why would I question?  Or hesitate?  Or dare think I could do it better? 

Silly girl.

So.  Hey girl!  We see you!  And we are with you on this journey.  

Fully surrendered, by His Grace moving within…  

Fully yielded to His Loving Heart, day by day, HereNow…  

We see you, girl!  We’re with you.  And ya’ know what?  We’re actually not all that different, regardless of our age and everything else that defines us.  

And, most of all.  We need you – and your story – in order to become all He has destined for us to become.  

So.  Together with you, we’re taking a deep breath.  We’re letting go of the past.  We’re moving out of our comfort zones.  Opting to live out on the limb.  Risky business, but it’s where the new growth happens.  Where the blossoms bloom.  Where the beauty and fruitfulness takes place.  Where the vibrancy and adventure are.

And – with joy and anticipation – we’re inviting.  

No, not merely inviting.  We’re longing.  Desperately longing for His shaping, molding, moving, rearranging in our lives.  

His Grace and Mercy.  Tenderly, lovingly dusting out the cobwebs in our thinking.  

His Grace and Mercy.  Gently tossing out the old.  Making room for the unexpected deliciousness of Life – true LIFE – in Him.  

His Grace and Mercy.  Re-creating us, moment by moment, more and more into His Divine Love and Purpose for.

Each.  One.  Of.  Us.  

So, hey girl!  Let’s stick together, you and I.  Let’s encourage each other forward, keeping short accounts with our Maker.  

Let’s look for the best in each other, hardly noticing the lesser things.  

Let’s forgive each other, as we inevitably will fall short and make mistakes.  

Let’s spur each other onward, upward into the High Calling in His Dear Son…

Hey girl!  Ya’ know what else?  I really do like you.  I’m so thankful He brought you into my life.  You make me smile.  And I need that.  Especially on challenging days.  Especially on amazing days.  Especially on every day.

And…remember, girl, “The best is always yet to come!”

So.  Love ya’!  See you next time.