30 Thoughts on Turning 30 (by Stephen Simpson)

Today is my 30th birthday.  It is bittersweet.  Here's what I think about it:

1. I think that 30 years goes by quickly.  One minute I was a young boy playing with G.I. Joes, the next minute I was attending Lake Region High School, the next minute I was graduating from college, now I'm 30 years old.  
2. I am very much looking forward to my birthday dinner! I would tell you where it is, but I don't want any uninvited guests :)
3. Being married to Nicki Simpson makes turning 30 easier.
4. Turning 30 is easier because of a little girl named Abigail Marie Simpson.
5. Turning 30 is easier because of a little girl named Esther Merideth Simpson.
6. I am blessed to have watched my Dad love my Mom faithfully for these 30 years.
7. Believe it or not, my parents have lived in the same house since before I was born.
8. I miss my Grandma & Grandpa Simpson.  I wish they were here. 
9. I miss my Uncle Chris.
10. It is hard to believe that I have worked at FBC for 8 years.  I started full-time in August, 2003.
11. I can honestly say, I never thought I would be an "Assistant to the Pastor" at a church when I 'grew-up.'
12. I think that the more memories you have, the older you feel.  I have a lot of memories.  Of course, when you start losing those memories, then you feel really old.  I'm not looking forward to that.
13. I used to think that having children was a simple and easy thing.  Now, I know that the birth of a child is always a miracle.
14. Everybody experiences pain and suffering in their lives.  Everybody.  The only differences between people are how they deal with the pain and suffering.
15. I think that I am supposed to act more mature and responsible now that I'm 30.
16. I think that I need to exercise more :(
17. I think I'm more Calvinistic in my theology than I used to be.  
18. I think I'm starting to enjoy reading and writing more than watching television.
19. I wish I would have read Getting Things Done as soon as I graduated college.
20. I wish Do Hard Things had been written so that I could have read it as a teenager. 
21. I am so thankful that Nicki & I took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class.  It has had a dramatic impact upon our personal finances.  I only wish we would have taken it earlier in our marriage.
22. I regret buying our current home in 2006.  I wish we would have rented for a few years and waited to purchase.  Oh, if we could only see into the future!
23. 30 years from now I hope to be a grandfather.
24. 30 years from now I hope to be 100% debt free.  (Hopefully, much sooner)
25. 30 years from now I hope to turn 60 with my integrity, dignity, and character still intact.
26. 30 years from now I hope I have remained faithful to my wife and children.
27. 30 years from now I hope to still be serving the Lord faithfully at FBC.
28. 30 years from now I hope that Faith Baptist Church is still faithfully preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
29. In the next 30 years, I hope to write a book, a song, and hundreds of blog articles.
30. I think I love hearing my girls sing (most of the time...)  :)