The summer is about to begin. I am turning 36 this month. It is hard to believe because it feels like yesterday I was 26! :) Is it just me or does it feels like the older you get the faster the years go by.:) I don't get hung up on the numbers like when you turn 30 or 40 or 50. Actually, I get pretty excited to see what the next year or decade will be like. So far I like the thirties. As I am becoming 1 year older I don't want this year to go by and not have much to show for it, spiritually speaking that is. It is amazing that we have two times a year to take stock of things New Year's and your birthday. One thing I do know is that I am thankful for every year that the Lord gives me to enjoy my husband and my 4 sons. I am also thankful for a strong church and loving brothers and sisters in Christ. I guess when evaluating everything I am thankful for my salvation/redemption, my adoption into God's family, most. I am teaching my boys the hymn 'I love to tell the story' and the part that says "It(the redemptive story) satisfies my longing as nothing else can do" I think says it all. Growing up I was sheltered from the world and though I never really had a taste for it anyway there was always a curiosity. I am thankful that God gave me a husband who was saved in his mid twenties and grew up(been on his own since he was 14) in the world because I could ask him all of my questions. He told me that the world is exciting in the beginning but then after some time it is boring and you think there has to be more to life than this. I was hoping to hear that because Solomon said "vanity vanity all is vanity." I know the joy that there is in Christ and Christ does satisfies that longing as nothing else can do.
What about this "new year of life"? I definitely want to continue to truly enjoy the Lord Jesus. I would like to as Jonathan Edwards put it "to be swallowed up in God." My heart wants to do so much for Christ, others and my church. My head thinks I can but it is my body that says, "maybe yes or maybe no. Let me know the day and I will let you know if you can." Which is aggravating to say the least. I was just talking to my boys today about the boy who gave 5 small loaves and 2 small fish how we are to always to be on the look out for someone that may need our help or that we can minister to them in some way. Through talking to them I realized that God doesn't require us to go and do big things for Him to use us. He just wants us to love others in any way we can. Sometimes it just may be praying for others is all one can do and that is a very important job - intercession for the saints though it is not a glamorous job. I know a lot of people like the glamorous jobs in the Christian community. Some examples of a glamorous jobs would be teaching the Bible or missionary work or Sunday School teacher but with the glamorous jobs also comes a huge temptation of Pride or self-exaltation. For me, I would rather do things that doesn't get much notice from people. I have done the glamorous job for a little while and they are enjoyable when done for the Lord and not for self, but it is not as satisfying as doing things just for God's notice. I think this new year I am going to try and practice what I am teaching my boys and realize God will use whatever I/we can do for Him, my/our job is to be on the look out.
