Yesterday was my birthday—Thanks to all for your kind birthday wishes! I had all sorts of plans for how I would spend my day. I got to enjoy NONE of them. I’m in quarantine. Dave hadn’t been feeling well and his mild asthma was becoming concerning, so we went to check it out. Long story short, he tested positive for COVID. Surprisingly, I tested negative, however, because of exposure, I am now quarantined along with him. Thankfully, he has turned a corner for the better but we were still quarantined on my birthday. Needless to say, I was rather bummed I would not get to enjoy the day…MY day…as planned! But I was in for quite the surprise!
My day typically begins early with the Lord, my birthday being no different. As soon as I sat down to my time with Him, I knew He was up to something. Let me explain. When I was a little girl, I fell in love with the stories of the Bible, the stories of God’s people…Noah, Moses, David, Daniel, etc. I was quite in awe of them and the amazing things they did—building arks, parting seas, killing giants, facing lions. It wasn’t until I got older, I realized yes, they did great things, but they were fallible, sinful people just like me. Then I was even more “wowed” by the stories of their lives!
Since early spring this year, I have been working my way through the New Testament, reading a chapter a day, taking notes and then praying through what I’ve read. God’s shown me so much from each morning spent with Him. Wanna take a guess as to what chapter I was in on my birthday?! Hebrews 11!!! The “Hall of Faith” which is a list of many of the greats from the Bible! Totally unplanned, very unexpected but oh, what a delightful birthday gift from the Lord!!! You can say it was total coincidence but I know it was God blessing this birthday girl! What a delightful time I had being reminded of some of my favorite stories and people and even more how their God Who did such great and awesome things in their lives has been every bit as present and active through the years of my own life!! But my quarantined birthday didn’t stop there!
I was able to have a tailgate lunch and ice cream with my daughter and two grandsons! It didn’t last long—try explaining to a 4-year-old and a 2-year-old why they have to stay in the trunk of the car and stay 6-feet away from grandma!!! But it was still wonderful! And then my daughter had something to show me that she had made for my birthday. I haven’t actually received it yet as that would have meant breaking the 6-foot rule! UGH! I don’t know if you can tell from the picture or not, but it is a wooden pallet with the words of all four verses to “It Is Well With My Soul” burned into it and the title painted to the side. A LOT OF WORK went into this mama’s birthday gift! The picture doesn’t do it justice! It is LOVELY!!! There are lots of songs I love and cherish but this is what I would call my “life song.” Not that terribly long ago, my life was anything but “well” with my soul! I was so very broken and in such bondage! Until God began some handiwork of His own and began the process of restoring my soul. It was a long, painful journey but I can now truly sing at the top of my lungs IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL!!! And this pallet will soon hang in my new office (once renovations are completed) and be a beautiful reminder of why I do what I do!
I ended my birthday out by the firepit in our backyard. The full moon was beautiful and the fire delightful as I listened to…you guessed it!
It wasn’t the birthday I had planned. Somehow it was so much better, even in the midst of being quarantined. Only You, Lord! Only You!!!
*Disclaimer: I’m still holding Dave to that birthday dinner complete with dessert and coffee!!!!!