Going Places: a Midlife Reflection & Modern Map Art Review

Once, for Christmas, my four sisters and I drew names for a gift exchange. My sister Mary was surprised, I think, when I told her the “boring” gift that I had in mind: an  atlas. 

I wanted an atlas.

Because I wanted the world.

To this day, I love maps and traveling, but am not {currently} at a stage in my life when I can go very far. Correction: I could, I guess, if I wanted to…but my husband-and-five-kids-still-at-home might miss me.

Currently I’m more of an arm-chair traveler who seeks adventure close to home, so when Jennifer Beck from Modern Map Art reached out and asked if I wanted a poster-sized image of Minneapolis…

(in exchange for this review)

I said, “Sure!” and she sent me one. Isn’t it cool?! It’s on the door of our home school classroom and reminds me of the world outside that door—a world virtually brimming with possibility and potential.

Now then…

Unfortunately for Jennifer, it’s taken me months, quite literally, to write this review. Forgive me, Ms. Beck! This post will hopefully explain why…but first I want you all to know that you may purchase your very own map art (with your very own city) at Jennifer’s website: Modern Map Art.

Use the code FIRST10 to get 10% off your purchase.

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And now for that midlife meditation.

Today is both the Feast of the Guardian Angels and (ahem) my 51st birthday! I know that makes me old in the eyes of many people, but I can honestly say that it just keeps getting better and better.

This past year, especially, has brought with it several very welcome habits that I’m struggling valiantly to maintain.

A well-ordered classroom and workspace, for one…

…is so much more welcoming than what (for years) it had been.

 

This is an embarrassing and unsettling photo, I realize.

My natural tendency is not towards order.

 * * *

And so when I talk about “going places”, I’m not just referring to Hawaii or Europe. I’m talking about the sort of soul-searching, pride-scorching self-improvement that came ONLY at the cost of some very great loves.  Blogging, for one, got set aside (for the most part) while I tried to determine who I was and should be.

Facebook, too…and Instagram…and Pinterest.

I’ve had to pull way back in order to see my life up close.

And it’s good! It truly is all good.

Not easy, mind you—it’s never easy—but as the pendulum swung to the other extreme, I found a peace that only God could give. He’s been doing some pruning—okay, a lot of pruning, and all I can do is thank and praise Him.

As I return to this online space, I’m still trying to figure out where & how I’ll go forward. Meanwhile and for just a little bit of fun, I’d like to hearken back to a long-ago post when I listed 40 things on my 40th birthday.

This time the list contains only ten items, but each one’s a wish and a prayer for you. Be warned; I’m waxing nostalgic at times!

1. I pray that today finds you finding peace, perhaps in unexpected places. There are many people who are devastated because of the shootings at the Jason Aldean concert in Las Vegas. I pray that if you are grieving today in any way, that you might know…peace that only the Father can give.

2. I pray that my words and my photos be nothing but a blessing for you and for God’s greater glory. It may be my birthday on this October 2nd, but I thank God for the gift of you.

3.  I pray that if you, like me, struggle with depression, you may find the support, relief and meds that you might need. (Personally, I need to take 20 mg of Prozac daily. My family notices if I don’t!)

4. I pray that you find joy and laughter in family life!  My family is like a retreat for me and when it gets too loud…

5. I go on a real retreat. I pray that you might have a similar joy of making the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.  Truly, I wouldn’t be the me that I am today if it weren’t for the Spiritual Exercises.

6. I pray that if you, like me, are prone to addictive behavior…be it eating or drinking or seeking affirmation…you might find your peace in better habits.  I find comfort in some of my favorite movies that showcase other imperfect people, like When a Man Loves a Woman; Cake; 28 Days; and Flight.

7. I pray that you are open to life in all its blessed, beautiful varieties! If you are a mom or a dad that has lots of “littles”, can I assure you that it does get easier?! I’ve been in the trenches alongside of you, when I couldn’t even go for a walk because I couldn’t find my 2-year-old’s shoe. Last night though, my husband and I hung out in the basement whilst my teenaged daughters made this meal for my birthday:

It gets easier! They start to cook AND babysit!

 

8. I pray that if ever your marriage is on the brink of dissolution, you might fight your back like John and I did. There’s so much more to the story than I could get into today, but the bottom line is God is good. His grace & mercy saw us through.
9. I pray that your sex life be blessed with love & fun & the unconditional gift of self! 😊
10. And finally, (okay, this is really random), I hope that if you ever make a meal for Martha Stewart, she will tease you less than she teased me.

 

And that’s enough waxing nostalgic for one day!  Thank you, dear friend, for stopping by. Thank you for everything over all these years.