Today is my birthday. I have made my 27th trip around the sun. I am thankful for the grace God has shown me to make it through these 27 years, how I have matured and grown, and for where I will go in the next 76 years (my husband and I would like to be married for 80 years so that’s where that number comes from…).
There are about 3 times a year when I really reflect on my life and where I’ve been and how I’ve grown, how surprised I am and yet totally not surprised.
My birthday is one of those times.
This year I have been thinking about the people God brings in to our lives.
I could go on and on and get really emotional and sappy about the fabulous people and what God has taught and is teaching me about the people I know and learn from and do life with.
From mentors and teachers I’ve had throughout my life, friends who because of geography, profession, or tragedy are no longer with me, to people I have mentored or taught, and those I am surprised in some ways are still with me – I find myself thankful and reflective on these relationships and what I’ve learned and am learning from them.
I just want you to think about what God is doing with the people that you meet. Sometimes we miss the big picture because we get sad about the right now. But the big picture is that there is a reason for the people we meet. We have something to learn from the people we interact and do life with – good and bad, big and little, immediate and long term.
So with that being said and before I go into the list of all the people I could think of off the top of my head who have come to mind as of late, I just want to share this song. I saw Wicked with my sister for my birthday gift. I knew every word to this song before we walked I there and I ended up crying through the whole thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzrGFQysfYU
So this birthday, I just want to thank those who have walked in and out of doing life with me. It’s all a part of the journey. I thank God for the seasons and how each of you have helped me grow. I know God has a reason for each of these relationships that like so many things, I may not see or understand right at this moment. But I am thankful.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
There’s an opportune time to do things, a right time for everything on the earth:
A right time for birth and another for death,
A right time to plant and another to reap,
A right time to kill and another to heal,
A right time to destroy and another to construct,
A right time to cry and another to laugh,
A right time to lament and another to cheer,
A right time to make love and another to abstain,
A right time to embrace and another to part,
A right time to search and another to count your losses,
A right time to hold on and another to let go,
A right time to rip out and another to mend,
A right time to shut up and another to speak up,
A right time to love and another to hate,
A right time to wage war and another to make peace.
I dare you to reflect on your seasons and the people who pass in and out. Pray for them. And share a story with us below.
P.S. I was hoping for 27 new followers for my birthday. If yo have not yet subscribed would you please now? So far there have been 9!!
Linda F says
Make that Ten .. Happy Birthday to you!
And have just prayed and relinquished an end of a couple of seasons of friendships that are no more 😉 with love not resentment .. healing in abundance …