To Be Loved and Cared For....That Is A Beautiful Thing, Indeed!

If you've been paying attention, then you realize that I recently celebrated my birthday!  And if you know me, then you know I go all in for a couple of weeks at least.  At first thought, some may wonder why I get so excited about my birthday season.  Some even think it's a bit ridiculous for a grown woman to be as excited about her birthday as I, but I believe in celebrating me.  The "me" I am and am becoming; the "me" I was created to be is worth celebrating.  In general, I believe in finding the celebration in most days, but I am grateful and blessed to have been celebrated, loved and cared for in such grand fashion.  From the simple HBD wishes and the posting of pictures of me by friends, to the words of adulation...I was overwhelmed with love and adoration.  I am loved and I know it. For that...I say thank you!

 I was able to fellowship with friends over dinner on my actual birthday and receive the blessing of gifts and laughter.  As the weekend arrived, I was able to be with friends in New York City.  We walked the city streets site seeing, ate, laughed, took in a show,  ate and laughed some more, shopped, gawked at passers by, ate and laughed some more.  It was a gathering of my sister circle.  For surprise after surprise and celebratory moment after celebratory moment, I am grateful.  I have deemed it "Fab and Fun at 41"...I am :o) and it was!  Here's to another year of living on purpose and being in His will.  Happy Birthday to me!

My life is not my own...

Life without a 4 year old in the house is very different.  Aside from the obvious lack of noise via Disney or Nick Jr., musical instruments and the constant chatter and conversation of an inquisitive mind, there's a beautiful stillness that I'm able to experience this morning.  Grace is on spring break with her cousins, Dale is golfing, and I am being.  As I listen to William McDowell crooning a love song to God, I am humbly in total agreement and filled with adulation...

"I belong to you God....my life is not my own..."

I was afforded an outside jog this week on a warm and sunny day.  With another impending round of snow tomorrow, Tuesday was clearly an anomaly; a mirage of goodness and warmth; an unexpected blessing of wintery turnabout; a love note written in the sky with the comforting words "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it.", signed...God!

I find myself in this place of fulfilling want.  At first thought, it may not make sense. How can one be fulfilled and left wanting in the same breath?  But, the idea of being content with wanting more of God...HIS presence in my life, HIS grace, goodness, favor and love...makes perfect sense in my imperfect mind.  

Phone calls from old friends and lunch dates with new ones, dinner dates with my husband, opportunities to speak life into young girls, as well as moments of silence and stillness with God have all been reminders this week of God's love for me.  I have given and received.  I am grateful.  

ENJOY...
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EXPECT MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER THINK OR IMAGINE!

Dis (Comfort) Er

Sometimes you just have to sit with it for a while.  
I've been praying  for and about some things, and I don't mind waiting.  
I can be trusted God, but more than that... I trust YOU.

Fasting... Praying...Believing...

The level of comfort always changes, but the Comforter does not.

Expect more than you could ever think or imagine

Transformation...

I, admittedly, try to transform all the time...my permed hair to natural hair; my long weave to short weave.  Even as I write this, I want to transform my black hair to the perfect shade of honey brown.  I'm ALWAYS trying to transform my body.  I work out, eat clean, and have even thought about getting a colonic (maybe). I juice and get close to starving myself, and then I start over again.  I fall off and start over again, and fall off and start over again...and again.  My transformation is ongoing.  But it's outward and worldly and worthless.

My pastor, Bishop Jesse Abbott, said "people look for riches and things, but I look for transformations.  Nothing excites me more."  Honestly, nothing is as exciting.  To have a heart that's broken or hardened or closed off or burdened or filled with guilt or shame or both...and much more, turn into a heart filled with love, joy, peace...

Transformation...

Create in me a clean heart, oh God!  Renew your right spirit in me...