Happy Birthday?

Well, tomorrow (February 20), at 6:13pm, I will "officially" be an adult. How do I feel about this (a popular question, it seems, from the 832 times I've been asked that very thing in 2 days)? Well...for one thing, turning 18 and "legally" being an adult, doesn't automatically make you one. Nope (sorry to break that news to you who aren't yet 18...*nuts*!). So...when DO we "grow-up"...when are we "mature"? Well...I would venture to guess (from observation) that we are never done "growing up" and no one has reached the pinnacle of "maturity". Read this: Philippians 3:12-16 "Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained." Hmmm...reading these verses makes one think that we must continue to press on and strain ahead for the prize. AND I would guess that this "prize" is not to be had in this life, therefore, we must be pressing foward all of our lives...there is always something that we can learn...and most of us are still working on learning half of the things that "average" people (should) know. So, along with not "suddenly" being "grown up", we do not all of a sudden become wise either...though, alas, I wish it were so! I remember looking up to a ton of 17 and 18 year-olds and thinking, "I can't wait until I am as old as they are. I'll get to have my own house, and go to college, and drive, and get married someday...they must be so mature!" Haha! Little did I then dream that I WOULD actually be turning 18 one day...and I'll still be living at home, I'm not planning to go to college (at least in the near future), I don't even have my driver's liscense yet (though I like to say that it's not my fault, and I've been trying - only 25 more hours to go... *yippee*), and who KNOWS (but God...) the "how" and "when" of the marriage part! But, really, those things are trivial. They are not the important parts of life, that will really matter when I'm 70 (I was going to say "80", but I figured I wouldn't push God too far...) . The things that will really matter are things like: Did I care for that hurting person? Did I take the time to laugh at a little girl's newest joke? Was I honest and did I walk in integrity when temptation to do otherwise confronted me? Did I do what God commanded me to do - even if I thought my way was better? Did I smile at the elderly lady as I held the door for her? When I saw a need, did I do something, or did I pretend to ignore it because I didn't feel like doing anything? Did God's love shine through me then? In times when I could have been doing something more "fun", was joy present in my heart while doing the "ordinary" or the "dull" tasks of life? Did I take the time to really care about that person's soul...or did I see them as "just another face" or "the person who sits in the back row at church"? Things like that will last - even when our finite minds have forgotten the giggle of the child, or the amazed look on the elderly lady's face, or the tears of repentance from a lost soul being set free. Hmmm...I was going to write more, but I am rather tired, and I think this is as good of a place as any to stop. Maybe I'll add more tomorrow. ~Lady Tai Questions? Comments? There is a space for that below! FYI, if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to ponder them and let you know what I think.