Blessings

I have pity parties!! Big surprise...I know!!! The thing about pity parties is that you are the only one who shows up, unless perhaps your man or an offspring happen to try to crash the party. Then you have to get really ugly and throw them out. I don't plan and organize for these pathetic events, they just sortof throw themselves together and before you know it, I'm smack dab in the middle of an all day "poor, pitiful me" celebration. I have had several melancholy days since this "50th" birthday a couple of weeks ago. I don't really know why.......I don't know if I've done everything I should have done............probably not............pretty sure I haven't done everything that I have wanted to do........but let me say, I have had a wonderful life!!! I have made some major mistakes...........I have done some really stupid things.......anything good I have done, is only by the very grace of God. He has blessed me in so many ways, but one that I'm resting on tonight is "friends." Not just casual "how do you do?" friends, but friends who will give up precious Saturday time to surprise me with a "birthday" lunch! That's what happened today. I have been so blessed by making some very special friends in my life. There is no describing how very precious these women are to me. They are the kindof women who would drop whatever they are doing to help, not just me, but anyone who needed them. They are wives, mothers, daughters, sisters and though we share many of these same roles.......our biggest common ground is our sisterhood in Christ. HE is what brought us together to start with!! He brought us together because He knew that we needed each other. I cannot imagine my life without these precious women! And fun.....did I mention that? They are a blast!! We can laugh with and at each other and it's all good!! There is something so very special about the friendships of women. I am so very, very thankful for these blessings in my life!! Thank you sweet friends, for making this "50" year old woman feel so loved and special today! I love you!!

Home

I love being at home. It seems like home time is so limited and I just treasure every second I get to spend here. I've always been a "homebody"! In years past, I've gone from one Sunday to the next and never left the hillside except to go to church. This is my safe place, my haven! In honor of my birthday (but really because I needed some "off" time) I took Friday and today off....love having a four day weekend!! The first two days were activity filled with my "girl's day" with Jodi on Friday. Saturday, Tony and I went with my daddy and step mother to a blue grass festival in Mississippi. It was great and we had a wonderful time. We slept in yesterday and as much as I missed my church family, I really needed the rest. I spent most of the day sleeping. As I got ready for bed last night, I looked forward to the morning that I would have today. It would be quiet.....Jodi has class and Tony has a doctor's appointment in Tuscaloosa. I would have another leisurely morning to drink coffee and spend some quality quiet time with the lover of my soul!! I wasn't disappointed either. There is nothing that compares to unrushed, complete quiet time with Jesus. Just to think on Him, and listen to Him speak to my heart. Am I the only one that He sometimes has to hem up in a corner before I stop long enough to listen to Him? Why do I do that? The thing is that most of the time, I'm not even running from Him, but I'm just too wrapped up in myself and my life to stop. What's even crazier, is the fact that I have seen time and again how much better life is when I don't neglect my time with Him. He gives me such good things that I take for granted. My prayer today is that He would help me to just "be" sometimes. I love you Lord and I want to love you more today than yesterday!! Thank you for my blessings. Help me to be what YOU want me to be!!

It's My Birthday!!!

It's here and almost gone again......my birthday!!! I looked in the mirror this morning when I got up, and I looked the same today at 50 as I did yesterday at 49. Had a good case of "bedhead", or as Tony would call it "the doll in the bottom of the toybox" look. You know that pitiful looking, well loved doll that has that matted up, ratty looking hair. Picture that, and slightly swollen eyes and you can get a pretty clear idea of what I saw in the mirror...I realize more every day how quickly time passes. I realize that I am so blessed in my life. I have had such a great birthday. It started off very relaxing....having a rare morning to leisurely drink coffee without having to rush around to get out the door to work was awesome. Jodi and I had a day of fun. We splurged on mani/pedi's, lunch and shopping. I came home to sweet cards, numerous facebook birthday greetings and wait for it............cake and icecream!!! Heavenly days, does it get any better than that?!? This is a girl who loves some birthday cake and icecream. I tell you, I am one blessed 50 year old today!! I feel so thankful for the life I have. I so often take it, and those that I love for granted. This has been a sad week.....earlier this week a beloved family member of someone I hold dear, passed away very unexpectedly in the prime of his life......another friend watched the heavenly "homegoing" of her precious 85 year old mother. My North Carolina children experienced deep grief over the tragic death of their beloved puppy. While I know that a pet cannot be compared to a mother, husband, father or child.....it is still a "family member" so to speak, and plays a very important part in our lives. For those of you who have experienced the loss of a well loved pet, you know of which I speak.....for those who don't....you're missing something very special. Death is hard.....it's meant to be. It always stands to remind us that this life as we know it is temporary!! We need to fix our sight on the things above......while doing that, love on those we are blessed to have in our lives. Happy Weekend everybody!!