feeling like Forrest, Forrest Gump

Once you get to my age, I am still 49, you find that there are plenty of things that you have done that you have simply filed away and kinda forgotten about...its not that these adventures weren't interesting or even significant at one point in one's life - but other things come along and there's no reason to dwell or live in the past...or maybe, thats just me.

I have lived a life that has been anything but boring.  But what I am discovering is that since I have lived such a varied life my own kids don't know my story (or stories).  I have gone from being a farmers daughter to a DJ to college to working for a cutting edge computer company to working for TV stations to writing and producing for a cable TV station back to local TV to seminary to country pastor with lots of encounters with the interesting and the absurd in between.

What brought any of this to mind is a post by a facebook friend who wrote about being at Graceland and Sun Records....that reminded me of the night TNT was live from Graceland for the release of the Elvis stamp.  I was part of the crew (and one of the producers) that evening - it was great fun hanging out with Elvis' friends and hearing their stories...it was even more fun being part of the team that made it all happen.

I have another friend, a former colleague from the Turner days, who is now traveling around the world with Johnny Colt - filming stories for CNN's Ireport.  Harold is seeing the world and experiencing things I can't even imagine.  He also has a unique opportunity to share with us, those back at home, a worldview that is so different from our own.  http://news.blogs.cnn.com/tag/ireporter-johnny-colt/

I wonder if these adventures are just mine, and are part of my sum total, or if there is a way that God wants me to use/share these experiences with others.  Not to tell tall tales or anything, but to point to God in the midst of things.  Of course, this means that I need to take some time to really think about and reflect on them myself, rather than sweep from one thing to the next...which calls for me to chill out a bit...hmmmm....

Maybe thats what getting older is all about - slowing down and mulling things over?  NAH - not ready for the rocker yet!

Tom Hanks -
as Forrest Gump

I do think, however, that I would like to find a way to dump my reel (my demo reel of promos that I produced) from beta to DVD so that my kids can see some of my creative work.  I might not seem like such a stick in the mud...boring mom and pastor and all.

I will continue to keep my eyes peeled for opportunities to experience this wonderful world - with all that is interesting and absurd - it is a good world.  It is our Father's world...and I am grateful to be a part of it.

But I also want to be someone who makes a difference in the world - I believe that  hope and peace and love are where its at, and I am not sure that we are good at any of these three.  I also want to be bold enough to speak truth into dark places...this is my prayer as I begin a new decade and new chapters in my life's story.

Because, we all know what momma said - "life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get".  And I am ok with that.

peace, hope and joy,
Deborah