March 10, 2026

Dear Me at One Hundred,

Having lived for more than five decades, I sometimes feel as if I have already experienced a complete lifetime. The idea of reaching a century is challenging for me to grasp, even though a few individuals manage to reach this extraordinary milestone. I often wonder if I would even want to live that long, as I believe that over fifty years have already offered me plenty of experiences. This makes me think of the person paying millions to live forever. Sadly, I am afraid he doesn’t realize the consequences of his futile efforts.

What are the keys to a long life? Is it simply about eating a balanced diet, exercising consistently, staying hydrated, or ensuring you receive enough Vitamin D from sunlight? I have heard some claim that their longevity is attributed to daily habits, such as consuming a banana or even a candy bar each day., the truth is that our days are already numbered by our Creator. f you have lived for an extended period, it is evident that God has much work to accomplish in and around you.

You have remained open to being used by God, and after several decades, you come to the realization that He has always guided your steps. As you reflect on your journey, you recognize that every detail of your life has unfolded for a greater purpose. Your path has intersected with individuals you could never have anticipated. You see God’s Hand so vividly in your life that you finally decide to embrace the journey and relinquish the need to control where you go or what you do.

You have learned from early on to let go and let God literally. Remember when God use to have to pry your hands open but through the years you’ve learned to open your hands surrendering all to Him, no matter what that looks like. You’ve gone through tremendous loss but have seen the beauty in every one of them as God always had bigger and better plans. He will use all things for your good.

It’s a journey of faith and resilience, where every challenge becomes a stepping stone to greater understanding and peace. You’ve discovered that surrendering isn’t a sign of weakness, but rather a testament to your trust in a higher power and the unfolding of a divine plan. Each loss has shaped you, revealing strengths you never knew you had and guiding you towards a deeper appreciation for the present moment. In every trial, you find a lesson, and in every lesson, a blessing. As you continue on this path, you embrace life’s uncertainties with grace, knowing that every twist and turn is leading you to exactly where you’re meant to be.

At this moment, I envision you seated on the antique rocking chair in the corner, a piece older than I am, gazing out at the birds that have frequented the feeder for many decades. You reflect on the numerous outdoor movie nights filled with laughter, as well as the memories of when the children ventured into the woods, following a delightful path they had created. In those moments, the local wildlife—the deer, coyotes, squirrels, and even the annoying opossums—stood quietly, observing the joyful chatter and laughter of the children as they passed by.

You gaze over at the chicken coop and run, which once housed the most exquisite chickens. You could never tire of the pastel eggs they produced. You truly transformed that chicken coop and run into a home, adorning it with decorations and placing various engaging items for the chickens to play with and explore. You never cared what anyone thought of you decorating the place for the birds. Every creature you cared for felt loved.

Do you recall the birdcage you salvaged from JoAnna’s place—a unique piece that many would have discarded? Additionally, there is the handmade bench crafted by your husband from a tree felled by a storm. Despite its considerable weight, he was determined to position it perfectly in the run, declaring, “This will never be moved again.” You both shared a laugh at his insistence. Interestingly, the chickens seemed to enjoy the bench even more than the rest of the family. 

It was your youngest blessing that really showed you that all these animals wanted someone to love them. No matter how much you thought a chicken didn’t need to be held or cuddled, she would still care for them all the same. You never got around to picking up those chickens when they got bigger but you did sit in the run to watch them play and they would come sit at your feet, sometimes even hopping up next to you looking as if they were waiting to have a conversation.

The workshop is adjacent to the coop and run. One side of the workshop was dedicated to the various building projects undertaken by your husband. Despite your efforts to assist him in tidying and organizing it, the space never quite achieved an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Each time you endeavored to help, you found yourself laughing, recognizing that any order you imposed would be temporary. You genuinely enjoyed contributing in this manner, but over time, you realized that your husband preferred his own system, often struggling to locate tools you had rearranged, as he had a unique method of “organization”. You were grateful to have learned it was a good time to show each other grace if things weren’t done as either of you had thought it should be. You learned it is not worth it to care if his shop was a mess or not. He made beautiful things out of those messes.

The opposite side of the workshop was designated for the sheep and goats we plan to acquire in the near future. We will separate the sheep from the goats because we don’t need the sheep picking up the bad habits from the goats. Your youngest blessing has chosen miniature goats, while your husband has selected sheep. Although you questioned the necessity of either of them, they have provided compelling reasons for their importance.

Your profound ability to seek meaning in all things shines through in this endeavor, cherishing the idea that the sheep will serve as a beautiful reminder that Jesus is the Lamb of God sent to die for us. We, as Christ’s sheep, realize we cannot navigate life independently; therefore, we must follow and heed the Shepherd’s voice. Conversely, while goats are undeniably cute, they are also known for their stubbornness. Their tendency to resist guidance will offer us valuable opportunities to practice patience. This experience will serve as a reminder that we can extend love even to the most stubborn, as we, too, can have similar stubbornness and unlovable traits. You are very good at loving people but even moreso the unloveable; you have always enjoyed the challenge.

Memories flood back of the countless nights spent in prayer, hoping that the dream of building the shop near your home would come to fruition. There were moments of doubt, yet both you and your husband remained steadfast in your faith. Numerous properties were considered, but, fortunately, God closed all those doors. While disappointment occasionally surfaced, it was short-lived; each time you discussed it together, you recognized that God had something greater in store. Little did you know that the reality would surpass your wildest expectations and there it sits just beyond the workshop.

Off to the shop stands a magnificent willow tree, which must have grown both grand and beautiful over time. It serves as a reminder of the days when Eden and Echo would chase each other. Do you remember how Eden would pause, captivated by a bird or fish in the pond, tilting her head from side to side in curiosity about their activities? When we laid Eden’s ashes to rest, Echo sat quietly, his demeanor somber, as if he seemed to understand what was happening. Over the years, he could frequently be seen lingering by the willow tree, whether lying beneath its branches or sitting nearby. This bittersweet sight often brought tears to your eyes, yet you always chose to respect his solitude, quietly walking away without interrupting his time there.

Then Willow arrived, unaware she was named for where Eden lay yet she would chase Echo around the willow tree. Watching them play brought you immense joy, often prompting reflections on how God gives and takes away at precisely the right moments, revealing His power and glory. This realization makes you think, “I am so glad I wasn’t in charge.” You learned early on in life that striving for control only led to exhaustion, discovering the importance of resting in God’s timing.

Ah, the pond adventures! Remember when you dove headfirst into the mission of cleaning it, and the fish decided it was time for an aquatic meet-and-greet? They were practically doing their best dolphin impersonations, leaping around like Olympians! You were so impressed and even videoing the beauty of it. But come morning, they were floaters… and not the fun kind. Oops! Turns out, you scrubbed away their oxygen factory aka the algae. Their frantic dance was their little fishy SOS. Whoopsie daisy!

Feeling like the pond’s unintentional villain, your hubby swooped in with a kiddy pool rescue for the survivors, who seemed to bubble a “thank you!” Four brave little fishies made it through, and you prayed for a fishy baby boom. Spoiler alert: they delivered! Oh, but you know this. Each season the pond became a bustling nursery of new life, with bullfrogs as the unofficial bouncers.

And let’s not forget the neighborhood kid, decked out in swim trunks in the crisp fall, eager for a dip with the koi. The midnight fish-and-bullfrog escapade with my blessing and their friends was priceless! How could we be upset when they were just enjoying God’s nature. Lesson learned: ponds are for peeking, not plundering. Oh, the giggles these tales bring!

Looking back behind the shop, a barn has been constructed, marking the beginning of another adventure. This barn will house a Jersey cow, which happens to be your husband’s choice. While Jerseys are indeed beautiful, your preference leans towards a Highland cow. However, you often say that having two of each animal is beneficial, so perhaps this arrangement is fortuitous. I wonder if this scenario has come to fruition.

I believe it is quite possible that your intuition is correct. When you and your youngest prayed about adopting a kitten, you reminded your husband that it is beneficial to always have two. Remarkably, when God presented you with the opportunity, He brought forth a pair: Mercy and Grace

And when you needed mousers, you barely had Lady and the Tramp before the coyotes got them, and then Cinder and Ash came along so it just seems reasonable that everything should come in two.

As you look even further back, you recall the vibrant celebrations held by the nearby Mexican families, who would gather to sing and dance together. These festivities often had a live band, filling the air with joyous music that resonated late into the night. You cherished the moments when you could open the windows to let the sounds of music come through.

Then there was the neighbor’s donkey. You loved that donkey. Do you recall the picture you bought of the donkey with a ring of flowers on her head? That, you said, was to represent the donkey we would hear. When most would think that noise from the donkey was super annoying, you laughed out loud every time. She was just trying to get someone’s attention is all. She just wanted to talk.

This makes you think about all the bunnies you had next to the chicken run but in front of the workshop. Again, this was from the youngest wanting a holland lop for years, finally getting one, and as the old saying goes, “they multiplied like rabbits”. You loved these bunnies as much as her, if not more. How many have you had? At the time of writing this, you’ve probably had close to fifty. The first time you lost one of the kits, the tears wouldn’t stop. It was so sad to see, but with the circle of life, you accepted when you lost one throughout the years, that there is a reason for everything.

As you end your day reflecting on all the blessings, you head to bed as you would always do, if you didn’t fall asleep in the chair. You realized early on in life you started noticing more and more of the beauty in the small moments that often go unnoticed by too many. When you were on auto for so many of those early years, you often missed those moments. Thankfully God put your youngest blessing in your life to show you that you must stop and smell the roses. With her, you had no choice but to just wait….and wait…and in the meantime you started seeing from her perspective. You are so thankful you learned this.

Once you were settled in bed you would remember star gazing on the clear nights and the warmth of the morning sun gently would wake you from sleep as you would like to keep the shades open often. You think of the laughter shared with loved ones and catch yourself chuckling out loud in the quietness of your home. Oh and then you remember all the times you couldn’t stop laughing over the silliest things so much so you would have tears running down your face. Remember how your husband would just grin and shake his head?

Then you remembered of the aroma of home-cooked meals (not yours by the way 😅) brought to you in bed by your blessings when you had times of not being able to walk. Everything seemed to carry a deeper significance the older you got. You would always ask God to show you what you needed to do next and you realized more and more that sometimes He would just ground you.

After a satisfied sigh, you look back to the simplicity of Africa where you could walk and dance on the orange covered dirt roads, sharing Jesus hut to hut. You felt God with you at every step. It was such a high. Oh the joy you feel remembering everything God showed you. You would go again…and again…and again…if it was God’s will.

This brings you to thoughts of the perfectly orchestrated mission of all. You catch yourself laughing how God perfectly ordained it. It started off as an investigation into why the college your daughter attended encouraged talking to strangers for their mission study. They had no idea this was the child who knew no stranger. They had no idea that if a person wore a name tag, she knew their name so in her eyes, they were no longer a stranger. So what did you do? Nothing that surprises anyone who knows you….you chose to apply for this mission.

Then you had a face to face interview. When asked why you wanted to do this, you bluntly told the gentleman that you were there to find out who the heck encourages people to talk to strangers. He really appreciated your heart. More and more, God drew you into this amazing opportunity, and now what started as your daughter’s school assignment turned into the biggest mission of your life. I would assume you are still doing this.

Many lives have been changed, especially your own. You listened to people’s concerns from all over the world and most importantly told them what Jesus had done in your life. This is when many realized God would never waste a hurt, and though not everyone may have given their life to Christ, you gave them a lot to think about. Then others returned to the Lord as well as others putting their trust in and choosing to follow Jesus as their Savior.

As you drift off to sleep, something that didn’t come easy to you early in your life, you thank God for the many missions He has had you do for Him. You smile contently knowing that if this is your last day on earth, you will have accomplished the full mission, that sometimes seemed impossible, BUT GOD.

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Blessings,
Jennifer