December 19, 2010:
the date of my 45th birthday and the day I came face to face with reality.
As I stood looking at myself in the mirror, I saw more than wrinkles, a few (ok, quite a few) gray hairs, and a less than perfect hour glass figure. Instead, I saw the end. The end of my life.
I did the math and discovered,
unless I lived to the ripe old age of 90 or beyond,
I was MORE than half way through my life.
If I was blessed to live to be 70,
I only had 25 more birthdays to celebrate.
25!
Have you noticed how fast 25 years fly by?
It was then,
and that very moment,
I decided I better get to living my life.
No more dilly dallying around.
No more thinking "one of these days". (It was more than apparent, I was running out of "these days".)
I had to make each day count!
I had to make my life count!
Not to mention,
I had to make up for
lost time,
lost years,
lost opportunities,
lost moments when I was anything but all God created me to be.
So for me,
on that December day,
life began at 45.
What about you?
Have you been making the most of YOUR life?
On your next birthday,
standing in front of your mirror,
will you see someone who has made the most of the life you have been given?
Will the candles on your cake
be a true representation
of the ways you have spent your life
shining HIS light?
Starting October 1, I will be launching a new 31 day series entitled, "Make. It. Count.".
As we journey through October together,
I pray we will be able to see our life for what it is -
a precious gift to be
given away,
used up,
and poured out.
God created you and I
ON purpose,
WITH purpose,
FOR a purpose.
It's time, (dare I say, PAST time) to be purposefully living each day.
Meet me here each day in October and together, let's MAKE. IT. COUNT.
If you would like to invite a friend to join us, or let others know you are taking the 31 Day challenge to Make. It. Count., here is the button, free for the taking. :)
the date of my 45th birthday and the day I came face to face with reality.
As I stood looking at myself in the mirror, I saw more than wrinkles, a few (ok, quite a few) gray hairs, and a less than perfect hour glass figure. Instead, I saw the end. The end of my life.
I did the math and discovered,
unless I lived to the ripe old age of 90 or beyond,
I was MORE than half way through my life.
If I was blessed to live to be 70,
I only had 25 more birthdays to celebrate.
25!
Have you noticed how fast 25 years fly by?
It was then,
and that very moment,
I decided I better get to living my life.
No more dilly dallying around.
No more thinking "one of these days". (It was more than apparent, I was running out of "these days".)
I had to make each day count!
I had to make my life count!
Not to mention,
I had to make up for
lost time,
lost years,
lost opportunities,
lost moments when I was anything but all God created me to be.
So for me,
on that December day,
life began at 45.
What about you?
Have you been making the most of YOUR life?
On your next birthday,
standing in front of your mirror,
will you see someone who has made the most of the life you have been given?
Will the candles on your cake
be a true representation
of the ways you have spent your life
shining HIS light?
Starting October 1, I will be launching a new 31 day series entitled, "Make. It. Count.".
As we journey through October together,
I pray we will be able to see our life for what it is -
a precious gift to be
given away,
used up,
and poured out.
God created you and I
ON purpose,
WITH purpose,
FOR a purpose.
It's time, (dare I say, PAST time) to be purposefully living each day.
Meet me here each day in October and together, let's MAKE. IT. COUNT.
If you would like to invite a friend to join us, or let others know you are taking the 31 Day challenge to Make. It. Count., here is the button, free for the taking. :)
THis is a wonderful and sobering post. I had this realization when I turned 40, and now I"m 60! This birthday really pulled me up short. I don't think we can "make up for lost time, lost years, lost opportunities".....I think that is where we need grace or we'd go crazy :-), but I do think that God can give us forgiveness for wasting the past and courage for facing the future and making the most of the life He has given us, with His help. When I wrote the word GIVEN, it really struck me that all of life is a gift. It seems to me that you realize that. Thanks for this post, and i'll enjoy reading how you make *your* life count!
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is God bless and strengthtn you as you bless others!. Your post is definitely an encouragement to me and I will be sharing with my close friends. How touching a story you have. So encouraging!
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