Turning 50.

On Friday the 1st of July I will turn 50…I have to say that it’s quite sobering to accept that I have been alive for five decades or half a century…the “seniors” jokes have already begun!!

For some time now my family and I have been considering how to best celebrate this milestone. Having lived in various Australian cities (Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and currently Melbourne) has meant that I have been blessed to know so many people from a variety of backgrounds - people I count as genuine friends - people whom God has used to shape, speak into and enrich my life in so many ways.

To help mark the occasion, Judy and I have decided to return with our children to my family roots, in South Australia, where we will be hosting a celebration afternoon tea in a little seaside town called Port Elliot, about an hour South of Adelaide. This is a place rich with memories from annual Summer holiday adventures during my childhood & teenage years. At this stage it looks like 50-60 adults and children will be joining us for the day – looking forward to it!

Whilst preparing for the upcoming Port Elliot celebration I have been looking over some old photos – I’ve really enjoyed doing this and have found it a helpful memory-jogger, bringing to mind a diverse collection of people, places and experiences that have served as markers in my life-journey thus far. I’ve appreciated re-visiting memories including my childhood birthdays (and cakes!), my first car, the development of my relationship with Judy, our wedding day, our first home, our travels around Australia together with the safe arrival of each of our four children into the world.

I’ve also had fun compiling a collection of my all-time favourite songs and artists from years gone by – not a bad soundtrack at all!

In thinking back over the years (and as I prepare to give the obligatory birthday speech) I can readily identify a few key themes, life-lessons and scriptures that have been significant and formational.

Here’s what I’ve been gleaning;

HERITAGE

“Listen to me, all who hope for deliverance - all who seek the LORD. Consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were mined.” Isaiah 59:1

“Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3

Put simply, family matters! Our Family of Origin matters – we can’t live in the past, but the past lives on - we ignore it and it’s significance at our peril. Our Godly, Christian heritage also matters – it needs to be appreciated, embraced and perpetuated through the present day and into the future.

COUNT

"Teach us to use wisely all the time we have.” Psalm 90:12

It’s important to retain a sober judgement concerning the brevity of life – aiming to walk in thankfulness, living in such a way as to count every day and make every day count – not wasting time, opportunities or experiences.

PURPOSE

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Ephesians 4:1

God wants my heart and therefore my life to be aligned with His heart and His Kingdom purposes and assignments. I need to guard against drift and be careful not to be so easily distracted from who and what really matters in life – living intently with God-given, God-honouring purpose.

INVEST

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done…so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children.”      Psalm 78; 4&6

“Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.” Isaiah 54:2

Don’t live only for the moment and what is seen today. Be a good and wise steward of all that is placed in my hands. Be prepared to count the cost of sowing into and helping to shape what is yet to come, especially through the people entrusted to me.

A.S.K.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19

I want to demonstrate a growing child-like (as opposed to a child-ish) faith – even at 50 years of age! I need to continue to learn that it’s okay to ask others and God for help as needed. When it comes to prayer, I need to demonstrate a willingness to persist over time until an answer is received.

REMAIN

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

One final recurring theme for my life has been the importance of remaining (abiding) in Jesus. I need to be prepared to do whatever it takes to stay intimately connected to Jesus, THE Source of life, hope and peace. Meaningful and consistent practices of faith need to be…practiced. I need to be careful not to strive in my own strength or ability. I need to trust God’s pruning in my life.

I will close this post with some words I recently came across from Corrie Ten Boom - they really resonate with me, especially after 50 years of life. She said; “The measure of a life, after all, is not its duration but its donation." Reminds me of something Jesus once said about losing your life to find it.