I used to watch a soap opera with my grandmother, The Days of Our Lives. I remember the opening vividly as an hourglass was shown as the narrator said “like sands in the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.” This makes sense if you’ve ever watched an hourglass. I’m sure it’s an illusion but it seems like when all the sand is on the top half and the hour is just beginning, the sand seems to be passing slowly. But as more sand enters the bottom and the hour is almost up the sand appears to be passing much more quickly.

I had the blessed and surreal privilege of turning 60 years old this week. I can state without a doubt that the sands of time pass more quickly the older you are. As I look back I still remember the ”firsts” of my youth, the first crush, first kiss, first job, my first car. But my more recent ”firsts” are my first grandchild, my first health scare and my first AARP card. Its easy to look back and wonder where the years went.

The blessed and wise discover early in life what God’s calling is and they embrace it and pursue it. The not-so-wise either run from their calling or take way too many precious years to discover it. Being honest, I fall into the second category. Life is full of distractions and God knows I’ve had my share through the years, as have most of us. In those times our perception of God gets skewed. Instead of being predestined we feel like we’re being persecuted; instead of being ordained we feel oppressed; instead of being justified we feel judged. We minimize our achievements and successes and exaggerate our failures. We tend to disqualify ourselves from the purpose God has already approved because we look back with our tainted human vision instead of looking forward with our Spiritually corrected vision. Except for God, no one knows us better than our nemesis, Satan. He is a master at using our unfiltered negative thoughts to our disadvantage so that we disqualify ourselves.

It took me longer than others but I can now look back and see that the lessons I learned were for a greater good as I begin this next and perhaps final chapter of my life. I must confess my life at 60 is not as I envisioned it. I’m single which was the farthest thing from my mind at this age, I saw myself participating in the Senior Olympics but instead Im grateful to walk a few miles. I thought I’d be retired and living peacefully near some water but instead I live in a condo on the Las Vegas Strip. And yet I love my life because I can finally see God’s hand and direction in it. So at age sixty I’m starting over again. In enrolled in a two year ministry leadership academy. I’m actively engaged in combatting the unforeseen health challenges. I’m writing my third book. And yes, in God’s timing I anticipate and welcome the opportunity to find love one final and life lasting time.

When I was young I viewed sixty as being old. Although my body betrays me at times, I feel like I’m just getting started. I could lament the wasted years by looking back at a trail of destruction or I can look forward with eager anticipation of how God will use me in His service. As a writer I know how my story ends. But as a follower of Christ God finished my story before I was even born sixty years ago. I will be as surprised as everybody else to read the last chapter.