Hey, hey it’s my birthday week….day 4 (and I may be regretting the title of this series …sigh)
So when I started this little birthday week business I didn’t account for the fact that people actually read what I write. I also claim a fair amount of resonating with a lot of blonde jokes in my thinking process so when various people have wished me happy birthday out in public it has taken me be surprise.
Every. Single. Time.
Like…how did you know it’s my birthday?
Oh.
Sigh.
Just imagine, Russ gets to live with this kind of slow thought spinning every single day of his life.
As the year 2008 dawned on January 1st, it dawned on me that I was actually past middle age unless I live to be 100, which as much as I love life and such, does not appeal to me.
My 40’s had been great years for the most part with some added challenges of launching teens and caring for my mom, dad and aunt in various degrees of declining health. I got involved in Bible studies and had the opportunity to teach an adult Sunday School class that forced me to learn and devour and grow.
I liked my 40’s and I thought we should just hold there and not move forward, but you know how it goes.
So in January, a tolling of the bells began to sap my inner joy.
I dreaded the whole thought of it until I looked closely at our beautiful children and our daughters in particular and I realized that in this youth loving culture I had an example to set.
And so somewhere in the months between January and July, I began to express with practiced and then genuine enthusiasm that I was embracing turning 50.
I am sure my family did some amazing things to love and support me and celebrate and on another day I would probably have crystal clear remembrances, but for today all I can share is that it was a mind shift and an attitude overhaul that I remember from that milestone birthday.
The one thing I do mark as a way I celebrated was, after being a natural blonde my whole life and only during my 40’s were people mentioning that I looked like so and so and the person of identification had more brown than blonde hair, I decided to enhance what had once been natural highlights.
I remember getting my driver’s license renewed with new lighter tones and making my friend who works at the DMV let me proof the picture in case I didn’t like it. You know who you are and it wasn’t the first or last time. Thank you Chris.
I know that I enjoyed that year and the decade that followed because God helped me take on a positive attitude about it all.
One of my favorite devotions from Streams in the Desert is one that refers to “Calling back” and it is, of course, referring to deep things of the Spirit, not getting highlights in your hair.
In the poem, the author is foraging a difficult ascent and cries out for ones who have made it farther to “call back.”
I have been the one scrambling for a foothold and thank God for the ones who have reassured me from the distance ahead that I will make it.
I have been blessed to find out that there are young ones coming behind me who somehow have felt encouraged by my voice.
So today, I call out to those who are approaching another year on planet earth and don’t feel excited or hopeful, you will make it.
Each year is a gift.
God has not run out of surprises for you.
There will be trials that will feel they will take you out and joys that will feel like your heart will burst.
Each day, each experience will be strung together like pearls on a necklace and if you will surrender your heart to God, remain teachable and trust His hand even when the path narrows and darkens, you will find your foothold again and again.
Also if you need to go get some highlights or try a new adventure, do it.
And smile for the picture…or make them take it over again <3