Ok, I celebrated another birthday last week. Birthdays and the beginning of the year are both good times to reflect on life. Fortunately for me, my birthday comes very early in the year so I get a double dose of reflection early every year. This year God showed me a little different perspective...maybe I'm getting old?
As I struggled to put life in perspective over 45 years, my first instinct was to thank God for accomplishments and things I've been able to experience and do, but before I got too far with that list, I was halted by a thought. Any such list I could put together, although it may impress a few, would feel like a brag list, which isn't me. (Not to mention, I'm sure many could top it.) Another thought entered my mind, "Are the accomplishments and activities what I'm really thankful for?" Promotions, trips to amazing places, awards, financial blessings? Even experiencing the accomplishments of my kids still doesn't quite explain the feeling of thankfulness and gratitude to God in my heart. It dawned on me that what I'm most thankful for was the multitude of birthday wishes that came to me via Facebook, email, text messages and phone calls. Not the number of those messages. Not even the details of the comments (although some really nice and funny things were said). I was really overwhelmingly thankful for the RELATIONSHIPS behind each "Happy Birthday" wish. I looked back through my Facebook postings for starters. I saw friends from the street I grew up on as a kid, friends from high school, friends from the church where I grew up, friends from college--everyone has friends from those kind of places in life. I thankful God put those people in those places of my life to help me "grow up". I saw friends from Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, and now Tennessee. I thought about the moves that God took us through, like when we wanted to move to Chicago, and instead God moved us to Michigan where we didn't know anybody. Then we wanted to move from Michigan to Indianapolis where my sister lived, but instead God moved us to Louisville, KY (where we didn't know anybody). And then we didn't want to leave Louisville and God moved us to Nashville anyway (where we didn't know anybody). I think of the friends God connected us with in each of those places and how special they were to us there, some for that season, some for a lifetime.
I looked back and saw neighbors, co-workers, and fellow church members, past and present. I saw people who have loaned us a stick of butter and an egg, people who helped move a couch, and people who had coffee with me and helped me grieve the loss of loved ones. I saw people who made going to work more enjoyable. I saw people I've served with in connect groups, in Treehouse, and at many other church activities throughout the years. I even got a belated birthday wish from our 'vacation buddies', special friends that God brought from Ohio to the same beach in South Carolina where we were, almost 4 years ago. Only God could plan such a 'coincidental' encounter to bring such amazing friends in our lives.
As I felt the waves of thankfulness for all the people that God had introduced into my life over my first 45 years, I realized that they were part of His way of loving me and teaching me about Him. Some of them were only acquaintances or friends for a short period of life, others have been close for many years, but each one had a part to play. There were many roles people played--a smile from God, a hug, an insight, a word of encouragement, a challenge, someone to help me learn, someone to help me teach, someone to share God's Word, and so many other roles. I realized that I wouldn't have experienced meeting those people if it wasn't for the tasks God gave me to do and the places He led (sometimes forced) me to. It occurred to me, that up until recently, my focus in life had been more on the tasks I had to do and the places I had to go. What I realized looking back is that those tasks and places were just God's TOOLS to introduce me to PEOPLE that He wanted to meet. I was reminded of another saying I've heard many times before, "The only thing in this world that is eternal is the people".
So as I thank God for 45 blessed years and all the ways He's loved me and taught me about Him through people, I look ahead to whatever else He has in store for me, more importantly, WHO He has in store for me. I resolve to focus less on the tasks I do and places I go and more on the people God puts in my path for each of those tasks and places. It took almost 45 years for me to learn that lesson, but I'm glad to share it.
As I struggled to put life in perspective over 45 years, my first instinct was to thank God for accomplishments and things I've been able to experience and do, but before I got too far with that list, I was halted by a thought. Any such list I could put together, although it may impress a few, would feel like a brag list, which isn't me. (Not to mention, I'm sure many could top it.) Another thought entered my mind, "Are the accomplishments and activities what I'm really thankful for?" Promotions, trips to amazing places, awards, financial blessings? Even experiencing the accomplishments of my kids still doesn't quite explain the feeling of thankfulness and gratitude to God in my heart. It dawned on me that what I'm most thankful for was the multitude of birthday wishes that came to me via Facebook, email, text messages and phone calls. Not the number of those messages. Not even the details of the comments (although some really nice and funny things were said). I was really overwhelmingly thankful for the RELATIONSHIPS behind each "Happy Birthday" wish. I looked back through my Facebook postings for starters. I saw friends from the street I grew up on as a kid, friends from high school, friends from the church where I grew up, friends from college--everyone has friends from those kind of places in life. I thankful God put those people in those places of my life to help me "grow up". I saw friends from Illinois, Michigan, Kentucky, and now Tennessee. I thought about the moves that God took us through, like when we wanted to move to Chicago, and instead God moved us to Michigan where we didn't know anybody. Then we wanted to move from Michigan to Indianapolis where my sister lived, but instead God moved us to Louisville, KY (where we didn't know anybody). And then we didn't want to leave Louisville and God moved us to Nashville anyway (where we didn't know anybody). I think of the friends God connected us with in each of those places and how special they were to us there, some for that season, some for a lifetime.
I looked back and saw neighbors, co-workers, and fellow church members, past and present. I saw people who have loaned us a stick of butter and an egg, people who helped move a couch, and people who had coffee with me and helped me grieve the loss of loved ones. I saw people who made going to work more enjoyable. I saw people I've served with in connect groups, in Treehouse, and at many other church activities throughout the years. I even got a belated birthday wish from our 'vacation buddies', special friends that God brought from Ohio to the same beach in South Carolina where we were, almost 4 years ago. Only God could plan such a 'coincidental' encounter to bring such amazing friends in our lives.
As I felt the waves of thankfulness for all the people that God had introduced into my life over my first 45 years, I realized that they were part of His way of loving me and teaching me about Him. Some of them were only acquaintances or friends for a short period of life, others have been close for many years, but each one had a part to play. There were many roles people played--a smile from God, a hug, an insight, a word of encouragement, a challenge, someone to help me learn, someone to help me teach, someone to share God's Word, and so many other roles. I realized that I wouldn't have experienced meeting those people if it wasn't for the tasks God gave me to do and the places He led (sometimes forced) me to. It occurred to me, that up until recently, my focus in life had been more on the tasks I had to do and the places I had to go. What I realized looking back is that those tasks and places were just God's TOOLS to introduce me to PEOPLE that He wanted to meet. I was reminded of another saying I've heard many times before, "The only thing in this world that is eternal is the people".
So as I thank God for 45 blessed years and all the ways He's loved me and taught me about Him through people, I look ahead to whatever else He has in store for me, more importantly, WHO He has in store for me. I resolve to focus less on the tasks I do and places I go and more on the people God puts in my path for each of those tasks and places. It took almost 45 years for me to learn that lesson, but I'm glad to share it.
This is a pretty amazing birthday gift from God, Mike, to open your eyes to this. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post Mike! I remember sitting behind you and the boys and Miss Annabelle while Joy sang in the choir all those years at TRBC, then joyfully meeting up again at Long Hollow....so thankful for you and Joy and your Faithfulness in serving our LORD wherever He send you!!!
ReplyDeleteSo Mike, at 45 I would expect you to use slightly larger print. I mean, I am way younger than you and I had to really lean into the screen to read this. No way you could read it. C'mon man!!!
ReplyDeleteSorry Rick, didn't realize that small font was so hard on you 'old man' (Yes, you're a month or 2 older than me). I was just trying to be green and save the environment, you know, take up less space on the www with smaller fonts.
ReplyDeleteyou are such a great example ... in so many ways. i am honored to serve with you... and love what you share each week to the kids in treehouse and to the friends that work beside you. this is great.
ReplyDelete