Year 37

Confession: Though I dreaded the day I turned 30, my thirties have been the best years of my life.

I think and ponder. A lot. Maybe too much…I guess that all depends on what I’m thinking about. The last few days I have been pondering September 9, 2014. While this may be just another Tuesday to you, it’s a special day to me. It’s my 38^th birthday. And I love birthdays! I love the idea of the intentional love and plan of God it shows when someone is brought into the world. Because I believe He works all things for his purpose and His timing, I have to believe my birth on September 9, 1976 was not a mistake. It was part of God’s plan from the beginning. In fact, Psalm 139:16 (NLT) says, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” 

So as a new year of my life approaches, I have reflected over the last year and it has indeed been a hard one…and a good one. One quality I inherited from my dad is a bent toward list making. So, in honor of the last few hours of my 37^th year, I’d like to share some of the highlights. Some I would relive, some I will opt for the lesson learned instead.

Experiences I’ve Had:

• My parents lived with me, instead of me with them, for the first time. Though it was brief, it was a very sweet time for me.
• I was able to experience Santa Claus from the adult end with my three precious nieces (aka, my Best Girls).
• I planted a garden. And vegetables actually grew in it…and they tasted good!
• I began really honing my baking and decorating skills. It has been a fun journey!
• I made and canned fig preserves.
• At work, we took on a major renovation project. I don’t know that I’ve ever learned so much in a three week period. Or been prouder of something I’ve led and worked on.
• When finances have been tight and there seemed to be more month than money or unexpected expenses, God has showed His faithfulness at just the right moment. Never have I had to go without.
• I tried fresh eggs for the first time. They really are better than the kind you get at the market…at $5 a dozen, they better be!
• I joined a book club. Each woman is so unique and I can’t think of a group I’d rather spend that time with. Even if I don’t always read the books. Oops.
• My mom described me to someone in a way that has penetrated the depths of who I am and I will never forget. “When you cut her open, you will find a heart made of gold.”

Lessons I’ve Learned:

• I have learned that the phrase “easier said than done” is typically true.
• Professionally, I have worked to allow difficult circumstances to thicken my skin rather harden my heart. This has led me to also work on my confrontation and conflict resolution skills.
• I experienced love, connection, passion, loss, and confusion in ways I never have. I daily struggle through the ways it has affected me and have determined to choose to pull the positive from it and fight against the control the emotions of sadness, rejection, and bitterness vie for.
• I would rather follow God and have His gifts than manipulate my life to have my own way.
• My physical appearance isn’t as bad as I think it is. I am who I am and it’s time to own it. Ladies, I even put away those special tight undergarments I used daily for use on special occasions. I might be the only one who has even noticed…maybe it’s because I can actually breathe and move freely.
• Life is better when I own who I am, enjoy what each day holds, and allow other people to get to know me. In case you don’t know, God has wonderfully made me, flaws and all. I have a lot to offer and I’m doing my best to offer it.
• Though my years haven’t turned out as I once hoped they would, God’s plans are far better than anything I could have created.

It’s been a good year. These are just what I consider the highlights! Coming tomorrow: my goals for year 38! Join me on September 9^th, the anniversary of the day God saw fit to place me in this world for such a time as this!