The Big 4-0

Friday, September 12: As I write this, I’m 39 years old. In a few hours, I turn 40. I’ll admit that when I turned 30, I didn’t handle it gracefully. I moped around the house for a couple weeks feeling sorry for myself. I didn’t expect that was how it would be so I’m not sure how I’m going to feel when I wake up in the morning, a 40 year old man. Let’s wait and see…
Sunday, September 14: Well, it wasn’t quite as bad as I thought. Maybe I’ve gained some perspective on age since 30. I’ll admit though, I did run through quite a few “it’s not so bad because…” thoughts in my head. I’m a big fan of the show “Friends” and after all, almost all of the Friends are 40 or older now. So 40 must be the new 30, right? Here is some real perspective from what was going on when I was born in 1968:
· #1 song of 1968 – Sittin’ On The Dock of the Bay, Otis Redding
· Best Picture of 1968 – Oliver
· The Vietnam war was in full force
· Johnson was President
· Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy were both assassinated
· The musical “Hair” opened on Broadway
· The Beatles release the “White” album
· Planet of the Apes in theaters
· 2001: A Space Odyssey in theaters
· The Banana Splits television show debuts
· Also born in 1968: LL Cool J, Hugh Jackman, Molly Ringwold, Josh Brolin, Eric Bana, Will Smith, Owen Wilson, Brendon Fraser

So you are probably thinking, “Wow, that’s old, he’s the same age as Wolverine???” Okay, maybe you aren’t thinking that but yeah, I am as old as the “White” album.
In all seriousness though, what I’ve been thinking about most, is how 40 years is just a blink of the eye in terms of the rest of my life in heaven. I can’t even wrap my mind around what this life is going to seem like 100, 1000, 10,000 or 435,000 years from now. I think about how fast my life is going, especially now that I have kids, way too fast. And I think about the fact that I may have lived half my life on earth now. But there is such a better life that is prepared for me in heaven; that God has promised to us. If you are down about life’s trials, like turning 40 or like having a terrible week at work (which I am having sad to say), try to remember how short this time really is and look forward to eternity.

Peace, Monte