Saying Goodbye to a Decade

This is the last week of the first decade of the 21st century! How quickly these years have flown by. And how much my life has changed.

The Good

I became a mom. Twice. My life has never been the same. I continue to learn new things about my self as I watch my children grow. I also appreciate my own parents more. I remember reading that having children was like having your heart walk outside your body. Exactly.

I got to travel to New York City. Charles took me there for our tenth wedding anniversary last year. It was an unforgettable trip, full of sweet memories. And sore feet! We walked miles that week. My favorite places were the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and St. Paul's Chapel. I'd go back tomorrow if I could.

I started homeschooling. Never in my wildest dreams had I ever pictured myself teaching my own children. I was a huge proponent of Christian education. I taught in three Christian schools over the years. My field was social studies and I taught junior high and high school, not elementary. But God changed my heart and I've embarked on one of the most fulfilling, rewarding journeys of my life.

The Bad

Perhaps one of the most profound events of this decade was the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. I will never forget the horror and grief I felt as I watched those towers fall, knowing there were thousands of people still inside. I cried for days, not just for those people lost that day, but for the loss of security and peace I had always known.

Family members and friends have passed away. People who were always supposed to be there aren't. I'll miss them, but I have the glorious hope of seeing them again. I guess that's not all bad, is it?

I've seen some family members and former students make messes out of their lives, though they knew better. It breaks my heart to watch them and know the end result. You reap what you sow. Always. No one is ever going to beat that system. And while I want to shake some sense into them, I pray for them instead. God can put those messed-up lives back together if they'll let Him.

This post could go on and on about the changes of this past decade. God has been so faithful to me and my family through them all.

What about you? How has your life changed during this decade?