1 Day Shy of 50

Philippians 4:4

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”

Always?  Even on the eve of your 50th birthday?  Absolutely.  You won’t see me behind drawn curtains tomorrow.  I will face 50 with both eyes open.  I will celebrate, rejoice in, embrace and be grateful for 50 years on this planet.  Yes, tomorrow I will find myself on the back 9 of my life and though I can’t say that I don’t hope for my game to improve… walking this course has been invigorating.

I wish to thank every one of my family and friends for making this journey so meaningful.    I rejoice in my wife Janine and thank her for loving me just as I am and for making me better every single day.  As Kenny Rogers so rightly sang:  “I’ll never know just what she sees in me.”  Her love for me serves as a picture of grace.

I rejoice in my children:  Justin, Andrew and Lindsey.  I am so privileged to be their father.  They are my joy and crown.  I am so proud of what they are doing with their lives… that they know the Lord… and that they strive everyday to show love to the special people in their lives.  I adore my first grandbaby:  Sydney (also referred to as “Syd-bean”).  I pray I will get the chance to know her more as she grows up.

I have made some awesome friends around the country.  I may not have the highest Facebook friend count (who would want that?).  But I have a diverse one.  Thank you to all my friends in Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, California, Kentucky, West Virginia, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, Alabama, Germany, and Nevada.  (Message me if I missed your state or country.)  So grateful that God has me as a part of the Grace Bible Church family in Lucas, OH… amazing people.  I have had the joy of touching some lives and being touched by so many more.

Each of you have helped me piece the mosaic of my first 50.  From the depths of my heart I thank you.  And if God grants me another 50… I pray that every single one of you play an amazing part in it.

Well… gotta go buy some candles!  See you at the party!