Hello 30

I've written this post dozens of times over the past three weeks and each time I have deleted it, unsatisfied.  After numerous paragraphs, or the equivalent of trash cans full of waded paper drafts I am left with this rather short and refined post to usher in my 30th year.  

At the end of every day I want to be able to say, "This is a beautiful life and I have lived it well." As I peruse the ever so full chapter on my twenties I marvel at all that I accomplished, all that I experienced, walked through, learned and how much I grew.  It is a chapter nearly bursting at the seems in all honesty and what a wonderful thing that is.  It was a decade of lessons, of adventure and of exciting firsts (job, marriage, new car, new home, first child, new state, new friends!).  It was a decade of great pain as we lost people very dear to us and we've battled confusing illnesses and marital trials.  It's been a decade of great joy as God has allowed my daughter to be a vessel to teach me about the beauty of life all over again....and wow what a beautiful life this is! Through all the good the bad and the ugly, my story is being written and when all of the pages are sewn together, woven into my book of life and held in the hands of my maker I hope that He will look upon my story and say, "well done, good and faithful servant.  You took the life that I gave you and you lived it ALL to bring me glory.  You lived it full and you lived it well.  What I see here in all the joy, the pain and the struggle is simply beautiful.  I am written on every page of your life."  Oh to hear those words from the mouth of my Lord and Savior Jesus when I stand before him someday.  

Every single day is a gift.  Every breath.  Every sunrise and sunset.  Every hug, kiss, laugh and smile shared with our loved ones.  Every moment is a gift.  I am so thankful for the 30 years that I have had. Wow! 30 years!  I am so blessed for all that I have been able to accomplish, experience and learn in my life up to this point.  No, not everything has panned out as I thought it would.  No, I haven't accomplished everything that I expected or even that I hoped.  No, it hasn't been easy or even fun all the time.  No, I do not have a perfect life but, I have lived 30 full and glorious years.  Thank you Jesus, for continually teaching me how to make the most of what I've been given.  

So, here's to 30 and whatever is written on the pages to come!  As my mom would say, "Saddle up your horses cuz we got uh trail to blaze!" :) Here's to another day, week or as many more years of adventure, love, laughter and tears that God wills me to have. To God be all the glory forever and ever.