Happy Birthday to me...

Today is my birthday, my 33rd to be exact. I woke up this morning excited to celebrate the day. I love birthdays--mine and anyone elses. Perhaps that is because I love life. I love the journey of life, with it's joy and pain, happiness and sorrow, excitement and mundane. I woke up this morning and went for a run--that is one of the things I hope to do on every birthday for as long as I am able. After some good quiet time I walked to work and then worked all day--grateful for the provision of work. I recieved several phone calls and facebook posts, making me feel very loved. I spent the evening celebrating with my dear friend Amy and new friends Rhonda and Liz. We drove an hour to Chipotle, another 10 minutes to Cost Plus World Market, another ten to Trader Joes, and then another twenty to Caribou Coffee. That meant we had to drive a good hour and a half back home. But it was well worth it. A night celebrating some of my favorite things! I am reminded tonight of all the good things that the Lord has bestowed upon me in the last 33 years and I have much joy. And, I can't help but wonder what the next year will hold. Where will I celebrate my 34th? How will I grow and change. Who will I meet? Where all will I go? What will be the happiest moments? What will be the sadest? What will bring the most beauty? Such anticipation! I do know that the year will be filled with much excitement as I will be spending at least half of it overseas in a new part of God's world and God's people. I have a sense of anticipation, hope, and a hint of fear of the unknown. There are many things I desire for this next year...some of which I have control over and many of which I don't. But mostly, my greatest heart's desire is to spend this year persuing hard after my Abba Father. An song has come to mind and is my motto for this year: "Oh Lord, give me one pure and holy passion, to know and follow hard after you." And in the words of Natasha Bedingfield I'm "staring at the blank page before me....the rest is still unwritten!"