December 6, 2013 - "Birthday Reflections"

Happy Friday and praise the Lord for another day of life. Today I turn 57 and while I never thought I'd say this about being close to 60, I am grateful to have lived long and finally found "some" truth about the meaning of life. The older I get, the more I appreciate all that God IS in my life as well as a deeper understanding of the variables of life. As a younger person, I lived from one meal to the next and never really stopped to value the meal. Do you know what I'm trying to say? I lived from one planned moment to the other, and never really stopped to BREATHE in the moment. On this side of 50, my approach to every day is different. Yes, I still plan, but the plan doesn't consume the moment - I can ALWAYS eat an apple. :) As I reflect this morning, here are a few of the things I'd like to share with you: 1. Moments can be critical - take the picture with your mind's camera so you can replay the moment when life is acting crazy! You'll be glad you captured the tear in someone's eye or the hug that lasted more than one second. 2. Relationships drive life, so fight for them and never give in. Some may need to rest for a season but as long as people are breathing, they can change. Throw the matches away that you use to burn the bridge. 3. Being healthy affects EVERY area of my life. Eating well and sleeping well touches my spirit which touches the components of my day. Eating and sleeping are foundational stones which, when turned sideways, cause the path to feel unstable. 4. Being quiet and reflecting on my attitude, daily, helps me realize what a mess I can make of my journey without the Holy Spirit. Then, in humility, I petition for wisdom and boundaries from Heaven. 5. "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." Submitting to the plans of God for the EARTH and more personally, my earth. This prayer from Matthew 6 is BIG in me in this season. 6. Never take yourself as seriously as you feel others do. People really don't have the time to study our weaknesses as they are walking through life as well. However, the enemy of our soul is constantly trying to remind us of our failure(s). Tell him to shut up and go play in someone else's sandbox. Then, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the condition of your heart. The truth lies there. 7. Place the imprint of your spirit on those following you - children, grandchildren, your "Timothy." There is not enough of "us" to give to everyone, but our legacy must be developed. Who are you imprinting? 8. Speak well of others, even when you don't want to. If you can't...stop and PRAY. Allow the Holy Spirit to be the one who hears the negativity. I am SOOOOO working on this right now. The more I read "Let Go" the more I realize there's still too much of my flesh in the mix. 9. Love WINS! Every time! Maybe not in the way we think or see or feel, but none of us know the long-term effects of deeply-rooted love. I am asking God to show me how He loves people who, in my small book, act "crazy" and yet receive His love freely. The Bible says it's the kindness of God that leads us to repentance. I want that God LOVE that touches people, like me, who make mistakes and need forgiveness. These are just a few of the things I have been pondering in the past few months. Maybe some of these are in your heart also. Have a fabulous weekend - I am off to play for my birthday. PK