Celebrating you

All week we've been talking about ways to celebrate different people in our lives. Today lets talk about celebrating....you.

That's what I'm doing today.

I'm celebrating me as I enter into my 32nd year of life. This is where you would expect to read that you should take time for yourself, get a pedicure or a massage, and relax and be good to yourself. And you should. Most definitely. But I also want to suggest a different kind of celebrating.

Barb and I love this quote: "You will be the same person in 5 years that you are today except for 2 things: the people you meet and the books you read."

Today I am choosing to celebrate that I am not the same person today that I was five years ago (or even one year ago!).

Today I am celebrating the growth I've experienced, the lessons I've learned, the life experiences I've had, the opportunities I've shared in, the people who have influenced me, the places I have visited, and the memories I have made.

I've grown a lot in the past 5 years. I've changed. I've made good choices and I've made some bad choices. I've made mistakes and I've tried to learn from those mistakes. I've experienced great joy and great heartache. And I've learned to deal with it all through the influential people in my life and the amazing books I've read. And at the top of my list would be the Lord and the book of Psalms.

I can honestly say that it feels good to know that I've grown and that I am not the same person I was.

When your next birthday rolls around can you make it your goal to celebrate yourself in a unique and meaningful way? Choose wisely who you spend time with. Choose carefully what you place before your eyes. And when your birthday rolls around, celebrate you and all that you've become.