Birthday Reflections

I truly believe that God danced the day I was born...

So, as usual during birthday time much reflection is done, and this time is no different.  But I must say my reflection is a bit different this time around –

I was born during Holy week of 1966 on April 7^th Thursday, the day before Good Friday. I always loved the idea of having been born during the Easter time, it has  become one of my favourite holidays and seasonal events. When I was a young girl I would try to imagine what the world would be like this far into the future, what I would be like and what I imagined was, that I would be a very old looking woman or perhaps the world would not even last that long.

Well look at me now not too shabby for 53 going on 54 years, and the world has seen many challenges. There were times when it seem like it would come to an end at the hands of man,  by pandemics, or the environment and that it would collapse on itself however, the world is still intact and many of us are all still here, until such time as our allotment has been exhausted. 

God created this earth for His creation to dwell, to cultivate, and to manage and He has made sure that it will last until he says, the end is here.   

My reflection has taken me to my past and I have seen how God has kept me and blessed me through the years and favoured me beyond my dreams and expectations. Through every sickness, danger, loss, disappointment, pain and uncertainty and I still can’t find a time when I was hopeless, because I came through it all; maybe not with flying colours each time but all the same better for it because God brought me through it all working things out for my good.   I have experienced love and hate. I have experienced fearful and courageous moments. I have experienced joy and sadness  and it has all been melted together helping to form my character and developing me, into me. 

I have had some hard lessons to learn which carried me through life up to this moment and if I stay the course and remain focused they will carry me through into my future. 

I reflect on my present and I see and know that I am blessed beyond measure. I have been favoured by God, not for boasting privileges, but for His glory.  Personally,  as I get older my birthday celebration has always been about celebrating with the people most important to me. Over the years that has been tweaked to include whosoever will accept my invitation to eat cake with me, because I realised that I am not my own.  My life is not my own, my life is an offering to God to do whatever pleases Him and I surrender it to Him daily and hope that at the end of each day I can hear the applause of heaven because He is pleased with me.  My desire is to please God always. 

So, on April 7, 2020  celebrate with me in spirit by sharing the love of God with someone, by extending a little more grace and forgiveness.  Show some love and be creative in doing so during this time of quarantine/isolation.  Anything is possible when God is in it. 

I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am who and what God says I am. I am called by God and anointed for this season to declare God’s truth and love bringing glory and honour to Him alone. It does not matter if I have a platform or a podium, a title or a brand, but the breath and strength of God empowers and propels me to live every day with purpose, His purpose for me. 

So 54 years later, here I am a daughter, a sister, a friend, a wife, a mother (in-law), a grandmother, a mentor, a leader but above all, a child of God and I am grateful for the privilege. 

I have been borrowing this Psalm 118:24 as my anthem for a while now and this is my sincere endeavour – “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we (I) will rejoice and be glad in it.”  

It's a beautiful day and I am grateful to God!