I had a birthday yesterday. My 44th birthday to be exact. (No, I’m not afraid of my age – I embrace it!) This isn’t my typical blog, although I’m working on a few of them. This is just some nostalgic notes I made on my birthday that I thought I’d share with you.
There are some things I’ve learned in my 44 short years on this earth. Some things I’ve learned from personal experience, and some I learned from watching others go through things….but learning is learning, right?
I have learned:
I have walked with the Lord longer than I didn’t, and walking with the Lord is better BY FAR!
After 25 years with the Lord, I know much more of Him now than i did then, but I keep pressing in…there is SO much more to know….such a wonderful, intricate mystery….
Next to the Lord, family is the most important thing (this is a given….).
After 44 years and 3 babies, it doesn’t matter how many crunches I do – things just don’t look the same…..they aren’t supposed to and that’s okay! 🙂
There is more that I DON’T know than that I do know. (Don’t tell Mikel I said that….LOL)
I have value – not just because of what I do, but because of who God made me…His child.
Numbers do not add to or take away from my value (weight, age, bank account, etc). My value was set astronomically high in the blood of Christ.
It is more important to have healthy skin than to have the darkest tan on the block 🙂
I’m stronger than I thought – because I have the strength of God in me.
Just because I can doesn’t mean I should…..
I am not perfect. I will never be perfect, and I am the only one who expects me to be perfect! 🙂
What I do does not define me. It could all change tomorrow, and I’d still be okay.
I can’t do it all myself (that was a toughy to learn).
Healing is not just for my body…..
Forgiveness is AMAZING!
Freedom is better than religion.
Joy in the midst of trials is possible….and so cool!.
Restoration is possible – and AMAZING!
The gifts and callings of God are without repentance. He only has Plan A!
The unforced rhythms of God’s grace are better than my works alone and yield much more fruit!
Waiting is a part of life – might as well have a good attitude while I do it 🙂
It is better to give mercy than judgment – because you reap what you sow!
Things do not always go how I want them to, and some things even hurt. I cannot control the wind, but I can adjust my sails. With God I can face anything and overcome!
I can’t always be there to do everything for everybody when they need it, and that’s okay. I’m not God….but He will always be there when you need Him 🙂
Life’s too short for fake butter or fake friends. Celebrate it. Love it. Embrace it. Every minute of it. And live on purpose.
I’m not afraid of birthdays, and I’m not afraid of growing older.
So many things change as you grow older – hair falls out, things sag and shift on the body, wrinkles appear out of nowhere, hair turns grey, it’s harder to lose weight, things creak when you walk down the stairs – but I’ll take all of it. Because the longer that I live, the more time I have to get to know Him.
Knowing Him is the best purpose to have in this life. It has been an exciting adventure so far, these 44 years that I’ve lived. They haven’t been perfect – they have held good times and troubles – ups and downs – times of joy and times of sadness – but it doesn’t matter what happens to me or around me. He is there to walk me through every single day.
And I will continue to make this my mantra and my purpose in life (in the words of Paul): my determined purpose is that I might know Him, and be found in Him – not having a righteousness that is my own. So I press on to lay hold of this – the purpose for which Christ Jesus laid hold of me – to know Him.