The Countdown ...

Wow.

Can we say that again?

"Wow."

We're in the last month of the last year of the first decade of the twenty-first century.

This is it!

My first full decade as an adult.

Hopefully, the "this decade doesn't actually end until 2011" folks will let me have this one.

Anyway, I'm in a reflective mood, y'all. Maybe you are, too. I'm thinking about new experiences, accomplishments, regrets, thoughts ... you name it. Anything that happened in my life this decade.

I'll admit it: I simply can't believe it's over. Many of us are at an age where we're thoroughly perplexed that a full decade has passed and that we can actually remember it all in it's entirety. I mean, we were adults at the start of it, and we're adults now. Last decade, we couldn't say that! Last decade, it was all about us, we had far fewer experiences, lacked perspective, and were trying to find ourselves. But now here we are, actually reflecting on a whole third of our lives that appeared to pass by ... just like that.

I think I want to make some lists. Somehow, I'm under the impression that making lists to encapsulate this chunk of time will help in my reflective process. I don't know why, but that's just what I think. It seems there will be something therapeutic about such a process.

Feel free to join me.

Let's start with ... hmmm ... "New Experiences & Firsts." Yeah. Here goes, in no particular order.

First Decade of the 21st Century - New Experiences & Firsts

* First time in South America. 2008.
* Became a Facebook junkie. 2009.
* Earned my first post-baccalaureate degree. 2000.
* Attended orientation at my first professional position (high school social studies teacher) ... I was the only one who's mother attended, but it turned out she was just passing the torch. 2000.
* Traveled closer to the equator than I'd ever been (and my burnt forehead became the victim). 2008.
* Started blogging. 2008.
* Met my first divorced person in my age group. 2001.
* Caught up with all the music I'd missed during a zealous stage in the '90s. 2007.
* Threw away almost all of the aforementioned music. 2007.
* First time teaching Advanced Placement courses. 2002.
* Bought my first new car (Silver Bullet, now at 216,000 miles, is still going strong!). 2001.
* Realized there were actually people born in the eighties. 2000.
* Later realized there were actually people born in the nineties. 2007.
* Got my first apartment (that I lived in on my own). 2002.
* Discovered abandoning carbs does the trick almost overnight. 2009.
* Also discovered avoiding carbs is dang hard. 2009.
* Attended my first National's game. 2007.
* First time in a tropical rainforest (yes, a jungle; we were in Costa Rica). 2008.
* First unexpected tragedy. 2001.
* Grew & dyed locs. 2000.
* Met my sister (yes, sounds weird; long story). 2004.
* Left the North American landmass for the first time (don't get too excited; it was the Bahamas). 2004.
* First cruise. 2004.
* Developed the belief that both Ben and Jerry deserve a stint in jail for drug distribution. 2009.
* Turned into a roadie (you know, concerts, events, visiting folk a thousand miles away, piling up in the car like a bunch of ... chicks, basically being single with happily few responsibilities). 2003.
* Became a music critic. 2003.
* Joined a Calvary Chapel. 2005.
* Made a huge theological shift: from an unaware Arminian to a non-hyper Calvinist (but yes, I'm still at a Calvary Chapel ...). 2007.
* Went to a friend's funeral for the first time (R.I.P. to Akida; 27 years old). 2003.
* Learned the difference between exegesis and eisegesis. 2005.
* Collected some more-solid-than-concrete friends. 2001.
* Took a 20k pay cut to leave an insane-in-the-membrane job in favor of an initially stress-free one. 2005.
* First Rap Fest, Flavor Fest, Legacy Conference, & Ligonier Conference. 2001. 2004. 2006. 2007.
* Saw both James Brown and Chuck Brown in concert. 2007.
* Realized that of only a few "musts," my future husband must bring intellectual stimulation to the table. 2007.
* After encountering several men who bring "intellectual stimulation" to the table (but who also can't manage to avoid adultery), I realized "character" and "humility" are more important "musts." 2009.
* First time in California. 2004.
* First time teaching on the college level. 2005.
* Started going to the Dominicans only to learn I can't have it both ways. 2008.
* Realized what a pastor is supposed to be/do. 2005.
* First time as a bridesmaid. 2003.
* Discovered Naked juices. 2008.
* Quit four perfectly good professional positions. 2003. 2004. 2005. 2008.
* Met two of my favorite theologians (R.C. Sproul & John Piper, different occasions). 2007. 2008.
* First time living in a house (I'm from Manhattan, give me a break!) 2006.
* First time on jet skis. 2004.
* Realized the cynics were right: A Black man would never have become President of the United States until Pig's Flu. 2009.
* Lost my membership in the IBTC. Circa 2004.
* Met more than my fair share of rap subgenre celebrities. Starting 2001.
* First time in the Caribbean (literally ... in). 2008.
* First time under general anesthesia (due to the yanking of all four wisdoms). 2009.
* Well, this is all I can think of for now

OK, folks; stay tuned for my next end-of-decade list ...

My First Christ-Centered Hip Hop Video

In the wake of the shocking death of Cross Movement's former member and co-founder, Enock, I came across the first Christ-centered hip hop video I'd ever seen. It ushered in a second wave of my love of the genre, as did the album this single came on. I'm so grateful to Enock, the Ambassador, Cruz Cordero, Earthquake, the Tonic, Tru-Life, and Phanatik for allowing God to penetrate their gifts and culture as He has over the past decade or so. This music critically impacted me and helped solidify my faith in the midst of plenty of life transitions, questions, and growth in my walk with Christ. My thanks to them and Christian hip hop overall is beyond words.

The Cross Movement's House of Representatives Music Video from CMR Mourns the Passing of Juan J on Vimeo.

I have No Words ...

... just tears.