Birthdays

Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.

It never fails.  Every year the anniversary of my birth comes and goes.  My age flips forward another number.  I'm another year older.  That's life.

Some years I look forward to it.  Others I dread.

I remember dreading "30" for the entire year leading up to it.  29 had been dubbed by a few of my friends as "The Year to Live it Up", because, as we all know, life just ends once you hit the next decade.  Ha!  Funny thing is that "30" probably ended up being just about the BEST birthday I've EVER had...hands down.  Granted, it was probably mostly due to life circumstances at the time, but still. 

Now I'm a few years beyond that. 

You know, I'm coming to realize that all those cliche sayings have some truth to them.  Age really is relative, and you really are only as old as you feel.  And it probably shows my age merely by the fact that I've begun to realize this.  :-) 

I'm also coming to realize how quickly life is flying by and how much I really want to make sure I'm making the most of the time God has blessed me with here on earth.  This life is temporary, but God has me here for a reason, and it's not just to take up space.  I want to make this life count.  I want to have an impact.  I want to be used.

"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."  ~Abraham Lincoln

Life is too short to waste.  So I'm not focusing on the "number" this year.  I'm focusing on making each day count and making the most of each opportunity God brings across my path.  I'm working on letting go of the past.  Forgiving and forgetting and not being held back by failures and hurts.  Breaking free.  Moving forward.  Helping others and being a source of encouragement.  Seeking God and following His lead.  Diving in, embracing life, and thoroughly enjoying every moment. 

Happy Birthday to me!!  :-)