I sat sipping my cup of coffee in the morning quiet. When you are a mom of busy children, you sometimes need to relish the rare moments of quiet in your life. Especially when I leave a noisy house and step outside to nothing but stillness, I will sometimes hold very still and just let the silence soak into my ears.
Being an introvert by nature, but made more extrovert by marriage, these moments of aloneness are what spur me on to handle the moments of everybody-in-a-pileness. It’s called “enjoying the very simple pleasures of life”.
As coffee began cooling, I heard a small sound and looked up to see my 5-year-old “baby” peeking around the corner. Dressed in pajamas with his eyes barely open, these were the first words out of his mouth: “Happy birthday!”
My coffee and my heart became the same consistency – pretty much liquid puddles of varying colors. It was the best way to start the first day of the rest of my life going downhill from 40. Yep. I hit the milestone yesterday and nothing cataclysmic accompanied it!
According to google, I have already used up over half of my life years. Who knew?! But it makes me pause a moment to look back and count the blessings I have.
My precious children and their daddy. These are the best treasures I have on this earth. Nothing earthly compares to this bunch that love me and call me theirs! My littlest guy even sang me “Happy birthday” about 4 times yesterday – so much that I realized I felt well celebrated.
My friends. Friends are the blessings that make a road with potholes not quite so bumpy. They are the cream and sugar in your coffee. They just make life so much better. I’ve been humbled to glimpse their hearts in joy and pain and learn to love and laugh together. Some of these sweet friends (together with Lowell) surprised me with a party on Sunday evening! It was delightful.
My land. I love where I live. And I realize not everyone gets this opportunity, therefore, I realize it is an incredible blessing and one I don’t take lightly! In fact, on the last day of my thirties, we climbed up to Pyramid Lake for a picnic lunch.
My church. I also realize this is an opportunity not everyone has – but I love my church and the people who are the hands and feet of it!
My husband. Have I mentioned him? He loves to make me laugh! And he loves to hold me and listen to me. No, we don’t always get along in perfect harmony, but we can always learn a lesson if we choose to. We make such a good team that it’s hard to remember what life was really like before him.
It’s funny, but once you get old enough you begin to realize some things you wish you’d known two decades before. As I contemplated my upcoming birthday the past few months, it dawned on me that I had nobody to impress anymore! I had tried to go that route when I was younger, but finally I think you get old enough you realize there are much weightier things to do than impress someone else. It’s kind of nice!
One thing I’m learning is how to get as much out of the moment that I can. We have some big personal decisions facing us regarding our future. So when worry sets in, sometimes I have to simply stop and look around me at what incredible blessings God has given me for that moment! Like walking among the rows of zinnias in my garden, or sitting on the porch with my sweetheart, or sharing cheesecake with a little person.
God has given me so much and is teaching me so much.
But being forty also makes me wonder “what would a post like this be if I can still type at the age of 80?” What would I say then? What is the most important thing to me on this earth?
My faith. My God that I love. My hope of looking into His face someday. The realization of what depths He stooped to save my sinful soul. The power that came when He burst out of that tomb and set hell to trembling. The glory that I know is waiting up in heaven – only I can’t see it yet, no matter how much I want to. His glory that must fill all of heaven itself. Some day I am going there, but until He calls my name . . . I will love and I will serve the ones He has given me on this earth.
Whether I am almost at the end or only halfway through, I want to finish this race well.
Hebrews 12:1,2
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
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Regina S says
Happy birthday Kendra! You have a beautiful family!
Kendra says
Thank you, Regina!
Christina K. says
Happy Birthday! Such great reminders for all of us!
Kendra says
Thank you!!
Diana says
That was lovely. Happy Birthday!!
Kendra says
Thank you, Diana!