A Birthday Is A Good Time

This year I feel particularly subdued on my birthday.  Ever since May (surgery) God has completely shifted my sight.  I thought I was focusing on important things.  And really, to a large degree I was.  But I still had so much of my focus where it didn't need to be...on myself and on the things of this world (stuff).

Since May I've worked particularly hard at ridding myself of some nasty unforgiving baggage I was carrying around along with that dreaded "busy-badge" us women like to wear.  I've worked hard on shifting the position of my heart so I can more readily, willingly, and easily choose love, patience, grace, and forgiveness...despite what my flesh felt.  And don't you know, when you pray for the very things God wants you to have, he gives them to you even more abundantly than you could imagine.

On this birthday instead of solely focusing on my past year (my past life, really), I have decided to focus on my next year (and years, hopefully!)  I mean really, who wants to be remembered and who wants to remember about what they did.  For some of us that can be ugly at times, can't it?  I'd like to focus on what I can do...what I will do...what I have the potential to do.  You see when we focus on moving forward, on the path set before us, it inspires to keep moving.  In turn, when we focus on the path behind us (whether or not it was filled with great things or not-so-great things) we have the tendency to dwell on the ugly or, even worse, to feel proud for what we've accomplished.  Both of those things sorely impact our ability to "run with endurance the race that is set before us."  We can't run a race with endurance if we're too caught up in looking behind us.

So this year (my 29th year...again!), I am going to be even more intentional about the path set before me.  About the opportunities in front of me.  About the people who need loving.  About the kids who need mothering.  About the orphans who need feeding.  About the homeless who need clothing.  About the examples that need setting.  About the wrongs that need righting.  And, about my Jesus who does the saving.

Who is with me?  We have so many chances IN FRONT OF US to love others, to make a difference.  Forget about the ones you've missed.  Forget about the ones you didn't miss.  Focus on the ones you have before you.

"...let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us..."

- Hebrews 12:1