CELEBRATING MY 88TH BIRTHDAY!

I woke up on my birthday morning with the desire to celebrate that day as a detailed THANKSGIVING DAY. I tried to recall and itemize all of the MANY RICHES God has blessed me with. I went about "counting my many blessings ton-by-ton" (not one-by-one), to adapt a phrase from an old hymn. My treasures are not tangible silver or gold but of immense valuable nonetheless—especially family and friends. Each one the Lord brings into my life is a rich treasure! 

I'm sending this message in part as a global expression of my appreciation for a table loaded with greeting cards containing prayers and good wishes besides all the email music cards and messages, bouquets of flowers and plants, and gifts, visits, phone calls, out-to-restaurant group celebrations with friends and family and many church friends. I read every greeting card and all the personal notes, and I thank you for all of your prayers. I prayed for each sender in turn. 

 

Although I didn't reach my goal for a first edit of my most recent book-in-progress by my birthday, (I did complete a first rough draft), I do feel that I'm living the title: “STILL MORE: FLOURISHING ON MY SUMMIT.” (It is the third book in my autobiographical Trilogy (or the 4^th, depending on how you count!) I am truly FLOURISHING with the Lord's blessings as I launch into my 89^th year!

I've recently had several routine medical checkups with good results. At my pulmonary checkup the doctor said he could no longer detect the fluid in my lung cavity that had persisted for several years. He had previously declared that the condition was not likely to correct itself without surgery--which I declined to have. God took care of it in His time! Thank the Lord with me for the good news, and thanks to many of you for your specific prayers for my health and strength. 

Of course I have some of the common increasing weaknesses and “unfixables” of my “earth suit” (my mortal body) but they are part of the normal aging package. I consider them trivial and  “manageable” with the Lord's help. They are temporal inconveniences without eternal consequences when weighed against God's many blessings.

The picture that accompanies this post is "fresh" from one of several restaurant parties my friends gave for me. I had been feted in advance of my birthday for an entire week by various groups of friends and family—and it promises to continue through the following week. I'll have to go on a diet for sure!! 

Of course I usually celebrate my birthday for an entire month...even all year! I've heard it said, 

         “Until further notice, CELEBRATE EVERYTHING!” 

At this matriarchal stage of life, that's good advice which I plan to pursue because God promises that “His goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives—and then (the icing on the cake!) we will dwell in the House of the Lord forever!” (Psalm 23)

A win-win situation!

Leona