The Next 20 years (I didn't want to copy the country song!!)

As you can see from my previous column (if you can’t see it then go to the Herald Advocate and pick up last week’s edition)my 20 year high school reunion has left me thinking about the past.

            The combination of being out of high school for 20 years coupled with the rapid ascension to the age of 40 has left me to contemplate the past recently.

            But today, right now, I’d like to look at the future. What is the next 20 years going to look like for me? Assuming that there is even going to be another 20 minutes, I think looking ahead isn’t always a bad thing but if done in the right frame of mind can actually be helpful.

            America is an interesting place these days. A lot of people are not too excited about her future. Many are down right disgusted with today and quite frankly tomorrow doesn’t light their fancy either. Joblessness is at or near an all time high. The National debt is in the trillions. The Democrats don’t like the Republicans and the Republicans don’t like the Democrats. Most Americans just want a job, a house and not be taxed to death. Other than that they really don’t care what the government does as long as it stays out their hair. Maybe that’s what got us here in the first place, apathy.

            But I see a change occurring. I see people standing up for truth. And yes I do believe there is such a thing as truth. I do believe there is such a thing as right and wrong. And no I don’t think I have all the answers. But I do see a genuine hunger in our Nation to do the right thing, to be honest, to love one another, and that excites me.

            I wonder what 2030 will look like? I’ll be closer to 60, again if I’m even alive then. I don’t think cars will change that much, maybe they will all run on batteries then? Cheap batteries!

            Will the NBA have 12 foot goals? Will the NFL allow a rush from the defensive team? Will MLB still have steroid scandals? Will schools be safer? I’m not sure.

            Will Americans get to the point where we start over with Government, erase all the frivolous laws, discourage crime through real deterrents, use common sense to decide lawsuits, let technicalities die and intent decide? I doubt it. 

            Will there be a great Spiritual awakening? Not one of smiles and handshakes but one of tears and repentance? I pray so.

            There is a lot of stuff that will go on the next 20 years. My kids will prayerfully graduate high school and college in that time. Perhaps they will marry and have children by then, okay my heart did stop on that one. I’ll be celebrating my 35^th wedding anniversary with my best friend, okay I’m breathing again.

            Maybe I’ll have a heart attack, a stroke, an accident, who knows, surely not me. Maybe I’ll retire, most likely not. Maybe I’ll live somewhere else or do something else, not unless the Lord decides otherwise.

            I could make a lot of plans for the next 20years and maybe even some of them would come true, but I’ll probably just focus on the next 20 minutes and hope and pray I make it through those.

            Maybe I’ll go green and sell my truck and switch to a bike, or take up running again? Maybe I’ll sell my house and live in a tent a nice tent.

            Or maybe I’ll just be thankful for every minute I have and plan to do everything I do for the One who has done and does everything for me. Yeah, I like the sound of those 20 minutes or 20 years a lot better. Trusting and obeying, loving and living, planning and praying that His will be done.