Birthdays and Other Thoughts

Yesterday I celebrated the 30th anniversary of my 29th birthday……which is just a fancy way of saying I celebrated getting older…though not quite as old as dirt.

You know you are getting older when the days before your birthday are not spent in anticipation of blowing out candles, cakes and parties. I knew I would be spending that day keeping my mom company at the hospital while my dad had a hip replaced.

My sister (one of them) and I went together to spend the time with mom. Once dad was out of the recovery room and in his own room we also got to spend time with him. We pretty much watched him sleep….but that was good because when you sleep you heal (at least that is my theory).

The day actually was really a celebration, just a different kind of celebration……I got to spend a lot of it with my mom, dad and a sister.  My dad came through surgery with flying colors and even got to come home today! Later in the day my sister and I spent some time at Hobby Lobby. That is always a great treat as a person can get ideas for crafting that you would never think of on your own. (I am sure that thought makes my husband sigh deeply, almost painfully)

Once I got back home; my husband and I got ready and headed out to have supper at our local Pizza Ranch. My son had called and wanted to take us out.  We had a great time with him and his girlfriend. I cannot speak for anyone else but I also ate way too much. I have decided it is probably a good thing I do not work in the food industry.

I have been ignoring the fact that my clothes seem to be shrinking (it has to be the clothes!). It is easy to ignore because our bathroom scale has not been working for a long time due to dead batteries. Today I purchased some batteries because I finally acknowledged the fact that just because a person doesn’t know what they weigh; it does not mean they aren’t gaining weight. This is just a really sad fact of life.

It is good to know that we are not defined by our age, weight, or anything else. I am so grateful I am defined only by the love of the God who created me. I am comforted by the fact that when God looks at me, He does not just see the outside of me…..(that fact can also be pretty scary!)

I am also grateful that throughout my life He has gifted me with family who loves me and friends who stand by me. I am indeed wealthy in the things that matter and I am blessed by the people He has put in my life. It makes the passing of years; a journey to be enjoyed.

What are you grateful for and what speaks blessing to you?

“A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 (NIV)