Birthday

I’m beyond blessed to have a great family & so many friends who wished me a Happy Birthday! I’ll try to respond to each one, although likely not tonight. I was grateful to be able to spend the day with my love, enjoying simple things like taking advantage of beautiful weather for an afternoon walk & a top-down drive to dinner at Victoria’s Pasta Shop. I’m blown away once again by the extravagance of gorgeous & fragrant yellow roses. I don’t take them for granted! And lest I forget — the celebration began Monday when another beautiful day allowed for me to catch a birthday bass & watch Gene catch several as well! So very grateful!

Earlier writing:

I’m grateful for each step of faith & progress. I enjoyed my birthday. I want to say I enjoyed my birthday. I did. I also feel guilty or ashamed because I think I was very unproductive & self-focused. I also struggle w/loving my roses & the tradition they continue but hating how expensive they are. It’s hard to wrap my head around. Meanwhile, I’ve backed myself into a corner of too much to do w/too little time. Steve can’t go fishing, so I will. Suddenly I’m overwhelmed again; when will I have time to do laundry, exercise, share flowers, visit, help others, get ready to go to Stillwater on Sat & to Fort Worth next week? Plus, it seems like I’m eating too much bread & gravy. It hasn’t added weight, but how can it not? I lift these things up to God, praying for help to know what I can & can’t do & then help to act in faith & let go of results. Breathe. Trust God. Pray, act in faith, trust, give thanks. Pray & receive God’s peace. Trust God & not my own thinking & understanding. Yes. Gratefully & humbly. 

(And that next time fishing ended up being a great day to bookend my birthday!)

By sharing his sorrow w/the disciples He took w/Him to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was clearly demonstrating that it’s okay to share my heart’s burdens w/others. Just because I have God in my life doesn’t mean I have to be poised, stoic & invulnerable. It’s okay to say, “Hey, would you mind coming along w/me for this?” & give someone else the opportunity to pray w/me & for me.

Jesus displayed a beautiful openness in inviting his closest disciples to come alongside him.

No, we don’t depend entirely on our loved ones. Nor do we act like faith erases them from the picture.

What am I trying to handle alone today? Has God shown me specific people I can share my heartaches & my dreams with? Am I willing to be invited into another person’s burden, even if it means sacrificing my time & my pursuits?

Heavenly Father, Help me grasp the fact that asking for help or asking for prayer does not chip away at my faith. Help me to be humble enough to invite people I trust to come alongside me on my faith walk. Amen.