Birthday Blessings

When I woke yesterday morning, my heart was full. We had a wonderful Christmas the day prior, and shared beautiful moments together as a family. We spent time celebrating the true meaning of Christmas the last few days with extended family and friends. It’s been a beautiful holiday.

Praying before I hopped out of bed, I was reminded how much I have to be thankful for. So. Very. Much

Yesterday was a special day.

It was the day God brought me into this world, and as I gazed at this life He’s blessed me with, my heart couldn’t help but rejoice.

It’s not a perfect life, but it’s certainly beautiful.

I was blessed to be raised in a home where my mom and dad loved each other and loved me unconditionally. 

I am blessed to have a loving, understanding and talented husband. I’ve been given two amazing children who bless me daily. Being wife and mom to them has held many beautiful rewards in this life. What joy they bring me!

It’s a gift to have my three brothers living within 20 minutes of me, and how we have remained close all through the years. The sisters they gave me through marriage are gifts to me as well, and I’m privileged to be the aunt to their great kids!

I married into such a special family, and am grateful for my “in-laws.” Oftentimes those words come with negative connotations, but not in my case. My father- and mother-in-law, and my brother- and sisters-in-law and their families are the icing on the cake with marrying Bill. So thankful for them!

I’m reminded of my many girlfriends. Each one is a gift. Some I talk to daily (or almost), and yet some I only see every once in awhile. Some have been friends for decades, and some I haven’t even met in person but we’ve grown together online. All of these girlfriends play such an important part in my life, and have helped me be who I am today.

I’m thankful today for the gifts and talents God has given me, and how He allows me to use them in my writing, my job, my calling. I enjoy sharing them with others.

I’m thankful for my health, and the health of my family. I’m thankful for sunrises and sunsets. (The one below is this morning’s sunrise.) I’m thankful for my BSF class. I’m thankful for the freedom we are blessed to live in. Goodness, I could go on and on and on.

I thanked God for all of these, and for Him, and the beautiful relationship I have with Jesus. I look forward to it growing even more vibrant in the year ahead.

And if you know me well, you know I love gifts. After writing this list, I became well aware of how God has blessed me and has given me gifts no money can buy.

But then there was this…

My husband had this canvas made containing some images I had created throughout the year for my blog. Each imagine I captured with my own camera, and tweaked them into a graphic for a particular post. Each one holds a special meaning in my heart, unbeknownst to him. Tears followed after opening it. This gift was the “icing on the cake.”

Thank you, God. Thank you for another birthday. Thank you for the many blessings in this life, and for these and many more priceless gifts not mentioned here.

Thank you, friend, for being one of them!

Much love,

Julie