The calendar tells me that it's true. I'm 40 years old (as of 8:35 am CST on January 14, 2017). 



I don't feel old. In fact, there's nothing about the way I think or feel, that would lead me to believe I've reached this age. 



However, turning 40 does remind me that I have a limited amount of time to make a contribution, to experience what the world has to offer, and to enrich the lives of those around me, and especially those closest to me.



Last spring, I binge-watched The Tudors. In just a few weeks, I watched King Henry VIII grow from an immature and reckless kid to a wise old man. 



I watched his triumphs and failures, highlights and low points. I watched him grow in wisdom with age, which I can totally appreciate.



In the final episode, he has a conversation with The Duke of Suffolk that hit me so hard, I watched it at least 10 times. I'll admit, it even made my eyes well up a bit. 



Their conversation went like this:



King Henry VIII: In these last days, I've been thinking a great deal about loss. What loss, your Grace, is to man, most irrecoverable?



Duke of Suffolk: His virtue.



King Henry VIII: No, for by his actions, he may redeem his virtue.



Duke of Suffolk: Then, his honor.



King Henry VIII: No, for again, he may find the means to recover it. Even as a man recovers fortune he has lost.



Duke of Suffolk: Then I cannot say, Your Majesty.



King Henry VIII: Time, your Grace. Of all losses, time is the most irrecoverable. For it can never be redeemed.



It's probably a good thing that we all have a time limit, or we wouldn't take advantage of the time we have.



Just as someone who lives on the beach is less likely to appreciate the beach that is always there, we'd squander our time if it wasn't limited. At 40, I hope that I'm a very long way from the end of my life, but whenever that may be, I'm still 40 years closer to that point in time. 



With that in mind...



In my next forty years, I'm gonna...



Work on my marriage more than any other endeavor.



I squandered a lot of opportunities in our early years, and still have many areas to grow in becoming the kind of man my wife deserves. 



Don't get me wrong, we have an awesome marriage. I just know that there's stuff I can do to make it more like God intended. 



Be intentional about involving God in my decisions.



While He may have given me my gifts and talents, I know I'd make much better decisions if I took the time to pray through even seemingly small decisions, and to rely on the Word and its wisdom. 



Play more and have more fun.



I used to love playing kickball, tin can alley, hide and seek, tag, and any other active game. Skiing, golfing, mountain biking, hiking, paintball, snowmobiling, four-wheeling, horseback riding, and a ton of other stuff bring me great joy.



I often put it off for "another day." That's stupid. It makes me boring and I miss out on experiences that would make for a better highlight reel for my life. 



Spend more time with my parents, my father-in-law, brother, and our boys.



My parents live four hours north of us. My father-in-law lives about 20 minutes away. Bob, my brother is a couple hours away. I see them periodically, but not nearly enough. If I'm not intentional about the time I have with them, I don't have any time with them. 



And just as I have a limited amount of time, so do they (Mom, Dad, Ray, Bob, that's an open invitation to visit too).



Write more.



I love to write. And yet I put it off, like a lot of other things. Or I let distractions get in the way. 



I know that not everyone likes to write, but God gave me a passion for it. I know that my writing, or my thoughts on nutrition, exercise, metabolism, personal growth, and marriage won't resonate with everyone. 



If my words resonate with someone then that's all that matters.



Be more ready to be wrong.



I used to be deathly afraid of being wrong. I thought that if I was wrong,