transitive verb

I love to celebrate! In this family we have been known to celebrate almost everything – New Years Eve, New Years Day, Epiphany, MLK Day (Dream Day!), Valentines Day, Ash Wednesday, Lent, St Patrick’s Day, Holy Week, Passover, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Resurrection Sunday, Cinco Day Mayo (an excuse to have Mexican food), National Day of Prayer,  National Scrapbook Day, Mother’s Day, School’s Out for the Summer, Graduations, Rites of Passage,  Back to School, Anniversaries of all types (engagement, first date, wedding), Family Communion, Baby Dedications, Baptisms, Fall arrival, Reformation Day, Thanksgiving, Advent, Christmas (like for 6 weeks!) and of course Birthdays – including born again birthdays, half birthdays, decade days,  adoption days & “Gotcha” days!

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For the last month leading up to my milestone birthday of 50 years, my sweet daughters were trying to pull together a party for me to celebrate this event! (not a surprise mind you….I love surprise visits, surprise gifts, surprise good news & surprise trips…but I am not a fan of surprise parties) They were talking to my friends, researching venues and trying to get me to pick a date…but it just wasn’t coming together. One by one the big girls were heading out to new jobs, back to college and new adventures out of town and the plans began to crumble.   Knowing how very much they wanted to celebrate my big day on top of many friends asking when I was having a party combined with my desire to commemorate this milestone… (I generallywant to celebrate my birthdays without much fanfare just an annual lunch with a few friends and a family birthday dinner. There have been two  exceptions  – my 17th and my 40th birthdays where I had grand celebrations!)…I began to really contemplate what, when and how I should honor my 50th birthday which led to a deeper introspection about why I wanted to celebrate in a bigger way this year.  Here is the answer:

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First let me say…that while it is my particular day birth on September 1, 1962...it IS NOT about me! (as strange as that sounds)  I do not want to celebrate this day to honor me, to receive cards, gifts or accolades or to be the center of attention.   My true desire in reaching this milestone is to –>

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Life is a priceless and precious gift.  We were created by the God of the universe…we are His masterpiece!

” You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

The single greatest gift I have been given beside life and Jesus is the gift of love from family and friends in the hundreds of people that I have been blessed to be in relationship with over the past half a century.

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 ♥ From my childhood friends who I played with, laughed with and sat beside in school to my dynamic full of life high school classmates who I served as president and who in turn enriched my life with love and memorable moments that I have treasured in my heart for decades.

♥ From my college friend who challenged, inspired and touched my life in remarkable ways and caused me to grow leaps and bounds in my relationship with the Lord to my precious youth group members and students who hold the most special place in my life, who I love as my very own children and who have supported and encouraged me throughout my life.

♥ From my co-workers at Lakeview, BCHS, and JECHS who we shared success & fulfillment as well as failures & frustrations that have bound us together for life to some of the most amazing, impressive, quality, inspiring women (and a few men too) that I was privileged to share over a decade of my life with in Creative Memories!

♥ From my church family at Lakeview, the ones who still share the pew with me as well as those who have ventured out to other congregations, cities, states and througout the world to my homeschooling community who I share common core values with and who fill my life with warmth and love.

♥ From my extended family who are my rock and shelter to the many amazing people who have come into my life in a variety of ways from scrapbooking, to watching our kids play sports together, carpooling and even those who I have come to know through correspondence on my blog… that have all made my life richer and more complete.

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♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ And it goes without saying that the love I have with my godly husband, love of my  life and best friend along with our precious children is divine!

Giving glory to God is the goal of my life!  In everything I say, in everything I do I want my Lord to be honored and glorified! (and yes I fall woefully short of this goal on a daily basis…thanks be to God for His amazing grace!)

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I want to celebrate all that the Lord has done in and through me these past 50 years!  Any accomplishment, success or achievement is only because of the Lord. He has blessed me to be born into the country I live in with all its amazing opportunities and freedoms. He has blessed me to be born into a family with a mother and father that taught me that both live and the Lord are good! A family that while not rich in material wealth was rich in love and faith. He has blessed me with strengths, gifts and talents to follow my passions! He has blessed me with family and friends who encourage, support and love me unconditionally. He has blessed me with drive, ambition and compassion to do great things for Him.  Truly all that I am, all that I have and all that I ever hope to be is because of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

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In order to properly celebrate life, celebrate love and celebrate the Lord…I decided that it would have to be more than a day or a single event but rather more fittingly several experiences throughout the entire month! 🙂

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Yes…we will have a specific “party” — come one come all more than likely towards the end of the month long celebration — where you can stop by a local park and let me share in celebrating our lives, our love for one another and the Lord!  But I will be celebrating all along with special breakfast, lunch and coffee dates along the way, a trip or two to my most favorite place in the world…the beach and a night out with my love! The celebration is sure to include some of my favorite things as well – tea party, dark chocolate, blogging, sleeping in, a few foot massages, a hair appointment, worship, reading, ministry  and scrapbooking to mention a few! If you want to jump into any of my celebrating…just come on by!

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And the celebration already began yesterday with a traditional birthday lunch that has its origins years ago with my dear friends Kelly & Nina!  A beautiful time together celebrating our life long friendship.

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Yesterday I also received an early gift from the Lord …an invitation to speak at a Women’s Brunch in October!

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