Time - how do you spend it?


Where do I begin with this one...

Let me start with when people ask me when my birthday is....My answer every time is "the day after Flag day". I get the craziest looks ...and then they ask "when is Flag day?" 

My response "you'll figure it out" 


I do this for a couple of reasons. 

One of them is I like to surprise people with things like their favorite food or dessert or a flower arrangement on their birthday or just because, but I don't like to be startle surprised or to startle surprise my family, chosen family, friends. So when I give the answer of what day my birthday is, I do it because I truly just want a solid friendship and time spent with the people I care about the most and that care about me. 

Life isn't about the things one recieves or the gifts given because it's their birthday or it's Christmas... Life is about making the moments count. 

If you read the post before this one you got a glimpse into what life has thrown at me in the last year. Happiness, sadness, goodbyes, grief, time....

Time being the most important. 

By the time this is published it will be June 16. I celebrated turning 40 yesterday. Forty years have come and gone. Lots has changed in forty years - in the world - in the country I live in - in my personal life - in my personal relationship with Jesus. 

Time is the most precious and valuable thing we have been given. 

Yesterday my family, chosen family, and friends sent me messages and or showed up to a party that my family threw for me in honor of turning 40. 

Time spent with all the incredible, amazing, uniquely created in God's Image people at my party was the most incredible part of my day! The thing I looked foward to the most!






The food was fantastic yes. The carefully chosen cards and thoughtful notes in them and the gifts were all fantastic!

But truly my heart was overflowing because my family, chosen family, friends all came to spend quality time with me and took quality time to send me a happy birthday message! There was laughter and joy!

TO arrive home to a house filled with streamers and baloons (and an unhappy cat lol he apparently does not like baloons) - to the joy on the faces of the adults and kids alike as we sat and fellowshipped over a delicious meal - My heart is overflowing with Joy at the ones God has blessed me beyond all imagination and thought!


All this to say - take the time with your loved ones.

Every. Single. Time.

I will end with this one last birthday story.

My almost 11 year old nephew - remembered his aunt loves Lions. He drew me a card which had a funny on it and then gave me this stuffed lion. It touched my heart deeply because he knew I loved lions and he wanted to make sure that he was there when I opened his gift because he knew I would love it - which I do! Along with all the other sweet and thoughtful gifts I was given today!


Take the time - don't waste it on meaningless frivalous things. Spend it with those you care about the most and make each moment count!


You will be beyoned glad you did!



Until next post,

Elizabeth


PS I did not post photos of my family, chosen family, friends out of respect for their privacy and I did not have their permission to post their photo(s) but I will say I do have photos from by Fabulous Fortieth Birthday Bash!


Every day is a journal pageEvery man holds a quill and inkAnd there's plenty of room for writing inAll we do in believe and think
So will you compose a curseOr will today bring the blessings?Fill the page with rhyming verseOr some random sketching
Teach us to count the daysTeach us to make the days countLead us in better waysSomehow our souls forgotLife means so much, life means so much, life means so much
Every day is a bank accountAnd time is our currencySo no one's rich, nobody's poorWe get twenty-four hours each
So how are you gonna spendWill you invest or squanderTry to get aheadOr help someone who's under
Teach us to count the daysTeach us to make the days countLead us in better waysSomehow our souls forgotLife means so much, life means so much, life means so much
Has anybody lived who knew the value of a lifeAnd don't you think giving is all will prove the worth of yours and mine?
Teach us to count the daysTeach us to make the days countLead us in better waysSomehow our souls forgotLife means so much
Every day is a gift you've been givenMake the most of the time every minute you're livingEvery day is a gift you've been givenMake the most of the time every minute you're living
Lead us in better ways (Every day is a gift you've been given)Somehow our ouls forgot (Make the most of the time every minute you're living)
Life means so much (Every day is a gift you've been given)Life means so much (Make the most of the time every minute you're living)
Life means so muchs

Life means so much Chris Rice

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