I saw her on an airplane..

I work with old people every day in my job - and see a WIDE range of how "well" or how "not so well" people age.   When I was in Kenya four months ago..... sitting in a group of kids on the grass, they asked me my age.    When I said  --52 -- there was an immediate and loud response (if you can draw up the image) of about 20 African children in unison -- "ohhhhhhhhhhhhh."   It was hilarious!

It's a strange season of life for me.  Our oldest daughter just moved to Charlotte to begin her dream job- and our youngest daughter is a freshman at Anderson University.    For the first time in 25 years, we don't have a child living in our home.....and naturally, I guess, I've started looking ahead -- at what kind of life I want for myself now that my children are grown and living on their own.

....and as I've been thinking about what I want to be in the years ahead of me, I realized.....I actually saw her on an airplane a few years ago.

It was 2007 - first mission trip to Kenya.    She boarded the plane in Amsterdam and flew with my team into Nairobi.   She was traveling alone....dressed in this cool khaki safari shirt & pants.   She had beautiful white hair - and a tanned completion    Her hair was pulled back into a neat braid down her back -- and her face had one of those wonderfully permanent smiles you see every so often.    She just looked very pleasant & peaceful.

A few members of our team struck up a conversation with her - and we learned that she flies to Africa several times a year to work in a ministry there.    Likely in her upper 70's or maybe even early 80's --traveling with a backpack - alone - and making a difference in the time that she's here.    I just LOVE that!

That's exactly what I want to be.