Birthdays and Wisdom

Another year older, another year wiser? Hmm... Maybe so. I turned 42 on August 26th. I've never really had a fear of growing older. In fact, I look forward to growing old with my husband. You know -- gray hair and rocking chairs kind of old. I don't think he feels the same way though. Not about growing old along with me, just growing old in general :).

My birthday fell on a Friday this year. Which means we spent my special day traveling to north Georgia to watch our Appling Christian Academy Eagles play football. It's a good thing I love watching football! We don't have a cheer squad this year. Only four girls showed an interest in cheering and the cheer coach decided that four was not enough to have a proper squad. So instead of standing on the sidelines, cheering the boys on, this year Kate stands on the sidelines serving the boys as "water girl."

Kate and Natalie, water girls for the football team

My sweet family honored me by placing flowers in our church for my birthday.

The message in the bulletin read, "In honor of the best friend, wife and mom." Aww, that makes me want to cry, for I am NOT the best anything. Those titles -- friend, wife, mom -- are my highest calling. This is what God has called me to spend my life being and doing. And I so very often miss the mark. Sometimes I get angry. I yell. I don't do what I'm supposed to do. Or, I do what I'm supposed to do, but with a bad attitude instead of a cheerful heart.

It's just sin. Plain and simple. Missing the mark. Not measuring up. Not doing what God has asked me to do. Or doing it with an un-cheerful heart.

That's a scary place - the realization that I will never measure up, that I will always miss the mark. But thank goodness, He doesn't leave me there! Thank goodness He provided a way out of that place. His death on the cross, his burial, his resurrection -- paid for all my mistakes, all the times when I have missed and will miss the mark, all my sins.

Oh how grateful I am that He loved me enough to die for and pay the penalty for my sins. That He called me to be a friend, a wife, a mom - my highest calling! And that He enables me to serve Him through serving my family. That He gives me grace when I fail. And that He allows my family to see the best in me.

~Love covers over all wrongs.  - Proverbs 10:12~