My next 40 years

In 10 days I'll be 40. I'm fine with the number, just not so fine with where my life is as I reach that number. Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed with a husband, a roof over my head, 2 great, healthy boys, fabulous friends & even a job that I like.  But personally, I'm not as happy with how things are. 

In 2000, Tim McGraw came out with a song "My Next Thirty Years". It talks about the end of an era & how he's going to start changing his partying, carefree days & pay more attention to what matters. It talks about what he's going to change & what he going to do better.  I was 27, was crazy busy with 2 kids, a new home in a new state, a job & a husband deployed. There were no partying carefree days. 

 Now as I'm seeing 40 crashing into me, it's really sunk in. Its not about partying ( for him it was) it's about change & making yourself better for those around you, but most of all, for yourself. 

I need to change some things to get to where I want to be in my next 40 years, and I'm already on the path to making some if them. Others are going to be a struggle. 

I want to be a better Mom to my guys. They're getting to the point where they don't need me as much. They're becoming independent men & someday sooner than I want, they'll be out in the big scary world all on their own. I want to be who they come to when they need help & to have sound advice for them. I want to be a friend to share their joys with. I want to be able to know that they can do it on their own & not do it for them. 

I want to be a better Christian. I want to read my Bible & to be able to carry on a conversation with someone & not feel like an idiot because I haven't read it. I want to serve my Lord with all my heart, with all my might & with all my mind, not only when it's easy, but when it's hard. I want to hear God say to me "Job well done"

I want to be more financially stable. We're way better that we were when I was 30, but we're still a long way off. Money, or rather the lack there of, has prevented some major changes from happening. That may or may not be a good thing, none the less, it's made me mad that even now at 40 I still don't have money in the bank for an emergency, or a vacation, or to put my kids, or even myself through school. I made the choice to stay home & not work & I don't regret that one bit.  I do regret the choices we made where it comes to money, & will for a long time. So, I need to become smarter about how to earn, spend & save money so that there are no more regrets.

Those are the three biggies.  There are smaller ones, I'd like to be thinner/healthier, a better housekeeper, go to Italy, move back to Texas, and so on, but those 3 up there are on my heart  and I'll do it better

In My Next Forty Years........