Proving I Came by my Gray Hair Honestly

Today is my birthday - I'm 48 years old!  It's the kind of age where less than half the people you know think you're still young (including my husband), and more than half think you're sliding down the other side of the hill!

I was thinking too seriously this morning, as is often my habit, and reflecting on what has happened in my life.  Like what I thought was meaningful and what I didn't.  Things I regret and things I definitely don't.  For whatever it means to you, here is a sampling.  Sorry, you don't get to hear everything that went through my mind, but some things you really don't need to know! :-)

Things I do not regret:
1) Being raised in a godly home by Reimar and Marcia Schultze!! :-)
2) Hearing godly preachers through my life as my dad, Edgar Martin, Bro. Helm....
3) Marrying my husband, Don!!
4) Having four children by birth and one by adoption (and Jasmine!)
5) Investing my life and training in these children
6) Homeschooling
7) I do not regret taking a stand and doing things differently as God called me to than even the Christian world around me did .  Yes, there were times of fear and questioning, but it has proven to be right.
8) I do not regret letting Morgan marry Andrew, Jacob marry Naomi and Jordan marry the 'other' Naomi!
9) Following the leadership of the Holy Spirit ( this is TOTALLY a not regret item)  LIFE has been in it.
10) Loving the unnoticed saints and forgotten ones around me.
11) Separating myself more from the world in the areas of dress, entertainment and motivation.  Soo do not regret keeping worldly, and fiction romance, violence, etc out of my children's lives and my life.
12) Moving to Fort Wayne!!  Love these people.
13) Being a part of the Body of Christ.  Enjoying the Bible Methodist and others!
14)I do not regret putting money into the Kingdom via a church, mission organization or the needy
15) Opening our home to children/youth/friends

Regrets:
1) That I went to public school as a child
2) My strong materialistic mindset/heart as a young person
3) Trying too hard to look cute and appealing to the world
4) Not appreciating my family more as a youth
5) Not having more birth children, and letting the world within and without of the church influence me not to.
6) That I ever let peers influence me to compromise my conscience or to question what I knew was biblical. 7) That I ever doubted that God would lead and that His leadings would have good things in them.
8) Money I've spent on unnecessary items

There's a start.  When I think of my goals as a young person of making some serious money...ummm, you really see that God spared me despite myself and my regrets and 'not regrets' show that it hasn't mattered in the long haul.

I am thankful for God's mercies.  I wonder....when I'm 84, instead of 48, what this list will look like!!  Hmmm....God isn't done yet!  More adventure in the next episode.....

:-)