Birthday
September 5.2011
I have been meaning to write this post since September 1st, but am now just getting the chance to sit down and write it out. I have never in my life been excited for a year and this year I am excited. I am excited to be 29 and I feel as though this year is going to be a great year. From the time I woke up on my 29th birthday, I had a joy that I have never had. I can't really explain it other than one of my constant struggles is depression. I have a natural bent towards being negative and down and I have to make a choice regularly to have joy regardless of how I "feel". To have the gift of the extra bit of joy was amazing!
My birthday really was not just a day, but a week. The Sunday before my birthday we had a family birthday party for my step dad and myself, on Monday night the girls in my Bible Study surprised me with decorations and a gift, on Wednesday of that week my mom took me to lunch, my friends (Penny and Becca) got me an OSU snuggie (which I am SUPER excited about) and when I got home that night my walkway and front door was decorated with balloons and flowers from a friend.
My OSU Snuggie...what can I say? GO BEAVERS!
The walkway that was decorated. There were more decorations on the garage as well. Let's just say that anyone passing by knew there was a birthday there.
From all of my friends and family, my house is covered with balloons, flowers and decorations. It seemed never ending! :)
On my birthday, I was greeted early in the morning with a Starbucks coffee and some flowers from my brother, sister-in-law and nephew. I then had a great and healthy workout and then my boss and his family surprised me with cookies, a balloon, a card and a gift card. Talk about being spoiled and it was only 8:30 am.
I then proceeded to drive to Newberg...one of my favorite places and a place I had not been in a while. I decided first to head out to the property where God has called me to pray several times. As I was driving by (I am scared to stop and pray anymore because one time a cop stopped and wanted to make sure I was ok), I felt like I needed to read the Psalm that I was on which happens to be Psalm 30. I was not just to read it, but to read it aloud. There was so much that jumped out at me from that Psalm, but I did not have a chance to really delve in deep to it until I got to Coffee Cottage.
My favorite drive to Newberg.
Such beautiful scenery
Still feeling this extra joy, I sat down at Coffee Cottage and opened the Word. The amount of love I had already received by getting there was almost overwhelming. It was as if this year I could really accept the love that people were pouring out on me. It truly was amazing. There is so much that God taught me through Psalm 30, but here are a few key things:
Psalm 30:2
"O Lord my God, I cried to you for help and you have healed me."
This was HUGE for me because as I read it, I felt like God was telling me that I needed to claim that He healed me. Even though my physical body doesn't feel healed, the joy that I had in my heart made it all worth it. He DID heal my heart and He healed all those wounds that I have had in the past. He healed my broken heart from a broken relationship and He has replaced it with more love than I could have imagined.
Psalm 30:11-12
"You have turned for me my mourning into dancing, you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent, O Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever."
I truly feel like these verses depict what God has done in my life in the past several years. For so long I have been "mourning" but He has given me a joy that is unexplainable. I now can be rid of the mourning I had from a previous relationship and things that have happened in my life and I can move forward in completeness of the Lord. So exciting!
Another thing I felt God challenging me to do, is every year on my birthday, I should list out the blessings from the past year and write out challenges/goals for the upcoming year. Kind of like New Year's resolutions but instead of doing them when everyone else is and it not being as genuine, taking the time to reflect on the blessings of the past and set new goals for the future.
My Bible, coffee and a delicious peach cinnamon scone.
After my amazing time in the Word, I went out to coffee with a friend/mom figure. Even though we see each other every single week, we have not sat down to spend time talking to one another in over a year. We had a great time visiting and catching up. She had to leave to "make a dinner engagement" so we left coffee early. When we got to the house, she said she had to come in and give Sara something. I said she could go ahead and go upstairs while I took my shoes off. I headed up the stairs and all I heard was "SURPRISE"! I was honestly in a lot of shock because I had absolutely no idea Sara was throwing a surprise party for me. There were tables set up with scrapbooking/card making supplies and to my delight, the party was a "card making" party. Everyone was to make cards for me to give to people. It was SO much fun and my ideal kind of party.
I also opened presents. There was so much stuff I was so overwhelmed. I kept opening and opening. Most of it was more craft supplies which I was so excited about. ESPECIALLY since earlier that morning I had told myself that I would probably be doing a lot of crafting in the fall. :) Little did I know that my friends would get me started on that road. My friends and family even got me a Cricut. Something I have been wanting forever and I am so excited to use it!
Sara made a special Justin Beiber playlist just for me!
After spending some time crafting, we were headed off to another surprise! I had to be blindfolded and was told we were going to the place we were having dinner. I had no idea where we were going, but when we walked in, I knew we were at Tom and Debbie Austin's house! Amazing Thai dinner and dessert. It was so good to be able to enjoy the time with my family and close friends.
It was a jam packed full day, but it was the best day I have EVER had! I am so thankful that I have such amazing friends and family. I was especially blessed that my best friend Sara took the time to not only plan a surprise party for me (which had been for about 3 months), but to take attention to every detail knowing what I would like, who I would want there, etc. I am still honestly in shock over the fact that she did that for me, but I am so blessed. I am excited about the next year and I know that it is not the material gifts I recieved, rather the love from my family and friends and of course, my Heavenly Father. Here's to a good start to 29!
