No more birthdays for me...

 

When I started my job in May of 2002, they told me that their calendar year started on the first of January and although I would be working there the equivalent of one year in May of 2003, my benefits were based on annual employment. I would get benefits based on my first fiscal year… hence, on Jan 1, 2004 I would qualify for vacation and other yearly benefits having achieved 1 full year as an employee in 2003. (just so you know, I did get benefits on 1/1/03 based on 7 months employment… not a bad deal for a new employee.)

January 1 is a new year even though it is not my new year.  

On October 3^rd I started my life and my first year. I didn’t have to wait till 1/1 to begin aging, or growing… I didn’t have to wait a year and 3 months to have a birthday. As a result, I find that is why I love birthdays and don’t care all that much for celebrating each new year        .

I appreciate every moment of my existence. God put me here to serve but He didn’t tell me I can have 3 months prep time. God didn’t give me any probationary period before I could get benefits. He put me here and started rewarding me immediately. He gave me loving parents, a great older sister (then more siblings after)… He gave me good health and a positive attitude… He gave me warmth and protection, friends and associates… He blessed me with so many gifts, including the opportunity for eternal life.

So why am I having a Happy Birthday and a Happy New Year when they are one and the same.

So no more birthdays for me… from now on, on October 3^rd, wish me “Happy New Year!”  I will restart my life with a complete year finished and a new one to begin.

thank you for tomorrow

Dear Lord above, who gifted me with each day, I thank You.

I thank You for the days of sun and light. 

I thank You for the days of clouds and rain.

I thank You for the days filled with success and smiles.

I thank You for the days filled with failure and tears.

When the new day begins, I thank you for yesterday and however it went.

When the day is done I thank You for all the good and bad of it.

I thank you that yesterday is gone and today is here.

But most of all, Dear Father, I want to thank You for tomorrow.

I want to thank You today for whatever greets me in the morning.

I want to thank You today for the hope of another day.

I want to thank You today for the chance to fix what I screwed up.

I want to thank You for the time to enjoy the blessings You bestow on me.

I want to thank You for the promises I will be able to keep.

I want to thank You for the opportunity to put today behind me.

And if there is no tomorrow for me on earth, 

I want to thank You that I can face Your judgement having known You and Your great mercy.

With life having occurred or happening right now, we take it for granted. 

But because of the mystery of the future, enhanced with Your unending love,         

I thank You for tomorrow. 

who is curing you?

Many many years ago, God watched His chosen people take all He had to offer and then turn their backs on Him, finding gods who were easier to serve with less give back on their parts.

And God got angry and turned His back on them, letting them lose in battle and suffer with disease and loss.

Then the people asked God to pretty please save them because they know He is really God and merciful… yadda yadda yadda. And God heard them and saved them; over and over again.

Now we are facing a health crisis around the world, and we are pleading with God to help us and keep us safe. And if He does see that we are trusting in Him and humbling ourselves before Him, we will see His hand at work and feel His mercy once again.

After a week or two, we will be congratulating doctors for their care, commending the business owners for fast action, talking about the chemists who suddenly created a cure and treatment, and patting ourselves on the back for weathering the storm.

As usual, we will forget about the God who gave the doctors their skills, gave the business owners success and common sense, and blessed the chemists with the gift of discovery and perseverance.

And He knows this will happen and He will do it anyway. I may not understand Him, but I sure am grateful that He is the way He is.