Today is my birthday and even though it’s the start of a new year for me, it’s also a time to look back. As I celebrate with family and friends, I think of the people in my life. The parents who raised me; the children, now grown, who fill my life with joy; the grandchildren who own my heart; the friends who make me laugh or hold my hand during difficult days.
I also think about the times I’ve survived—days when I was so sick I thought I would die. The car wreck that could have taken my life. For some us, maybe it’s the job loss that seemed like certain destruction but turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The engagements that fell apart and broke hearts—but were actually God’s protection from something worse. The days when big dreams fizzled only to discover that God had something much better planned. All of those things are reminders of a faithful God.
Looking ahead—having reached an age that I deemed “old” as a teen—I understand how years go by so quickly. I no longer tuck my little boys into bed after nighttime prayers. I can no longer do physically-demanding things without my body talking back to me.
Most importantly, my days to serve God are going by just as quickly. There’s an increased urgency to spend my remaining days in ways that will please Him, in ways that will leave behind a heritage of faith for my loved ones.
So this year, I’m grateful for another birthday so that I can make a difference for God. So I can love more. Do more. And tell others more about Him. I hope I’ve finally gained the good judgment from Psalm 90:12, “So teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
