Birthdays and Getting Old

Last week marked another birthday. How do you deal with them? So you won't be wondering how old I am, I will just tell you, 47. Back to my question, how do you deal with them? How do we react?

My daughter announced earlier this year that they were going to have a baby. I am going to be a grandmother in 10 weeks. She asked me what I wanted to be called, which was about everyone's question after they congratulated me. I thought about it for about a half a second and decided...grandma. What other time do you get "grand" before your name. My grandmothers were some of my most favorite people. I count it a privilege. 

Christmas is around the corner. I'm sure I will get my share of family letters which I love to read. What a great look at the year, trials and celebrations. For my birthday I made a list of goals for 47. I definitely want to celebrate what a great year 46 was. But you all know that as you get older, the years go faster. I want to be intentional about each one that I am given. Here is a look at some of the things that made the list.

• I don't like that my body feels older but that is mostly my fault. It went down on my list to get in shape. 
• I put family on my list. With my kids all adults and their lives getting busy. I don't want to get to far away from being a part of their life.
• For work and my entire life, I want to be totally centered on what God has for me. He created me for a purpose and I want to make sure I fulfill it. No more wrong turns ... no more Ishmaels.
• It is also a time to really focus my work. As one that has a tendency to say "yes" to lots of things. It's time to trim back the things that don't fit. It's no longer about saying no to bad things, it saying no to good things that keep you from great things.
• In the spirit of bringing things together, God came through with a great blessing. And that is faith for a family business that my husband and I are starting. Only He (our Abba father) could pull our strengths, our past experiences, and our desires from two relatively different people. 
• Here is what I say to 47...bring it!

Each year is not something to regret but something to look forward to. God has something for us every day, every week, every month, and every year. It's a testimony of His faithfulness and goodness. 

Ephesians 3:13-21

Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.

¹⁴ For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, ²¹ to Him be the glory 

30 Days To Be Thankful in Your Work!

It's hard to believe that November is here already. Every year we seem to say where did the year go. November is one of my favorite months. While the weather hardly ever proves to be something to brag about in Illinois, it is my birthday month and the month of my favorite holiday.  I love Thanksgiving. You get all the benefits of Christmas without the gift buying. Guaranteed four day weekend, great food, amazing family get together, and a great kick-off for all the season.

My sister is doing her own Thanksgiving "Advent"...every day she writes on facebook what she is thankful for. I think that would be great exercise for us this month. Let's do it in the framework of our work and see if how we view our work changes in the next month.

We are already a couple days behind but the first days of the month are easier anyway.  I'll start I'm thankful...

November 1 - that God puts a vocational desire on my heart.
November 2 - for my husband and how he supports my business ideas.
November 3 - for my great friend, Tina, that I get to do life with and discuss how we see God in our work life.
November 4 - for all the great support I get in MERGE.
November 5 - for how God speaks to me in my work.
November 6 - (let's continue together)

Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Just because November and December are holiday months doesn't mean the demands and pressures of our work go on hold. But being intentional about being thankful can only benefit us during this season and any actually. I love verse 6, be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication. Let's bring all our requests before God.

Then share with someone or comment on this blog for how it works.