Great {Age} Expectations

You know how you imagine, and even plan as if your imaging set the thing in stone, that you will be married by a certain age? You have your life planned – married by this age, children at that age… Yep, life looks good in your perfect age-defined dream maker. However, it just doesn’t always turn out like that. 

I remember when I was younger I would take scraps from old wedding invitations my parents would receive and create an “invitation” to my own wedding. I set the date soon after high school {which, of course, has been long past}, made the location the “banks of Loch Ness” & settled in to dream about the day. Looking back it seems silly. 

 Today is my birthday – 26 years old {which seems crazy to me & way too old} =). Yes, I’m still single and my old “invitation” remains in a shoebox of memories – unsent & unfulfilled. It’s hard to not fall into the “compare snare” when others around you marry off. It’s hard to not ask, “God, why do they get to be engaged now? Why isn’t it my turn?” I can’t help but think about my sister who married at 25… well, I’ve missed that age; now I’ll officially be the oldest of my siblings to marry. It’s not something they give a blue ribbon for. 

But still, there is purpose in the wait & it can be beautiful. I know if I was married my life would be vastly different; my time would be filled & it would be difficult to steal away to the silence of a long drive or a winding park path. I like those times of quiet with God. Life can even seem romantic, as I wait in anticipation & fall more in love with Jesus. He knows the desires of my heart & wants to fulfill them… in His perfect timing. I’ve well noted over the years, that His timing is certainly not my own, as evidenced by my handmade wedding “invitation.” Yet His clock is right on time. Why would I want to rush into the imperfect, when I could wait on the perfect? The imperfect would surely be riddled with problems & simply put, “not be right.” So, this in between waiting time is not always easy, but God knows what He’s doing. It will be beautiful in its time. 

It gives me hope to look upon others’ stories who waited beyond the world’s “ideal” age to be married. I think about Rebecca St. James, the amazing pioneer of purity, who waited for 33 years to be married – staying sexually pure, waiting for her wedding day. That gives me strength to keep moving along this path. I even think about Catherine Middleton who married at 29 and became a royal. Yes, princesses wait. =) She is, in fact, considered the oldest royal bride to marry a future king {for the first time}. 

Whatever stage of life you are in, know God has not forgotten the wishes of your heart. His clock is still ticking & it’s in perfect condition. Let this time be beautiful. Don’t waste it away pining over what you don’t currently have. Don’t keep life on hold, waiting to fully live as you’ve dreamed, until all your desires are fulfilled. Live now! This is the present; live it! What a lovely birthday gift it is. 

 Love {the now 26},
-Bess-