Celebrating Life

The calendar says I'm another year older. I, with all my physical aches and pains, can laughingly concur. These days, I would just as soon not recognize these yearly reminders of time passing by, but my children find delight in celebrating birthdays. No matter whose. No matter how many candles. Just simple joy in celebrating life.

And that's as it should be. Not celebrating me, specifically, but life in general. My heavenly Father has seen fit to bless me with 41 years in this realm of life. It hasn't always been an easy life; there have been many bumps along the way. But those have been the times when He has taught me much, when He has drawn me closer to Him.

He has blessed me so much in my 41 years, saving me from my wretched sin and granting me the opportunity to tell of His wonderful grace! He has given me the desires of my heart. As a little girl, I would dream of some day being a wife and mommy, and a teacher. I now hold all three of those titles close to my heart. I don't teach in the school system and I don't get paid (in money, that is), but my job (and the pay) is far better, imo!

If He chooses to give me another 41 years here, it won't be long enough to tell of His marvelous grace, His wonderful mercies, His enduring faithfulness to me. If I have one year left or 41 years, I want to spend it singing His praises, blessing His holy name. I don't want to get caught up in the negativism that I see all around me, the gloom and doom of the current economic situation, the ungodliness that has found its way from the large cities to the small towns, the less-than-perfect church with its less-than-perfect leaders. Life is too short to live that way.

If there's one thing (well, two things) that I want my children to say about me one day when I've gone on to be with Jesus, it's that momma loved Jesus, and she celebrated life. Because God values all life, and I think He wants us to celebrate it.