It Takes a Life to Get a Life......

A week ago yesterday, my husband and friends gave me a surprise birthday party for my 60th birthday party. The one reason that I dare say my age is because I don't feel 60, a lot of people say I don't look it, and infact, I don't even act 60. So what's in a number? You can't help when you were born, but you can help how you feel, usually. Good living, not smoking or drinking, monogomous living, with only one man, my husband, and exercise and diet. Well, attempted exercise and diet. That's the hard part, but I continually work at that. Giving up alot of the other things that are bad for you becomes much easier, after not having those other things for along time, if ever, and of course, you receive so much more that is good, in return...

Living in an intentional Christian community, with people of all ages, and having a purpose in life, serving God and others, also helps keep one younger. Constantly seeking to grow and heal from life's injuries is helpful too. Maintain an open and humble attitude about yourself. You never stop growing, this will go on until it's time for you to leave this earth. I don't know if I will live another 40 yrs. or if I even have tomorrow. I first learned that tomorrow is not promised to anyone when my sons, Christopher and Trevor were born 3 months early. They are now 27 yrs. old, and are wonderful in so many ways, but when they first entered this earth, all of life was very doubtful. In the year of 2000 I had 2 cancers, which wasn't my only life's scare. If we put our lives in the hands of God, it is a very safe place. Not safeguarding life on this earth, just the safest place that I know to be. If I die, because I have trusted that the Christian message of what Jesus Christ has done for us, to be true, I believe that I will go to heaven to spend eternal life with Him. I'm betting all of my life on this, and as Pascal's wager would say, even if this were not true, I have a great life on this earth, just for this trust.

Because of unhealthy relationships in much of my life, I was left feeling quite damaged. It has taken a lifetime to receive much healing and change, and I'm not done yet. Most of my life I have felt somewhat unlovely and unloved. It has always been much easier for me to believe the negative rather then the positive about myself. It is a long process for some of us to receive the healing we desire. In 1989 I married Jon and through him, God has done much healing in me. In the community here at JPUSA, where I've lived since 1987, often I would feel those same negative feelings. Read 'Telling Yourself the Truth', by William Backus. Go to a healing class such as 'Redeemed Lives', by Mario Bergner. Trust in God, He alone can heal you, but gives us many tools in reaching our goals. (Some people need medicine and professional help. I never had this, and maybe it would have sped up the process. It all takes time, however you go about the healing. Just don't give up). Many times I see very young people, who think they've arrived and have it all together. Guess I did too, in my early 20's. You just don't know what you don't know. An entire life holds many good and many bad times. But, all in all, when you make continual right and good choices, you can grow good and strong, even if life throws alot of bad things at you.

I sort of had the icing on my cake when my husband and some good friends gave me a surprise birthday party on March 9th, over a week ago now. (My birthday is on March 10th). There were about 45 people there, and I was overwhelmed by the love and encouragement I received that night. From hearing what different people had to say about me, I never knew that I was held in that kind of love and respect. I said several times after, "I will not forget". But yet, with just a little over a week later, I can see, if I was not careful, I could forget. It is so easy to forget the good things in life, and only remember the bad. But, 'I will not forget'. I will hold onto the good. I do not have to have another's encouraging words every moment. I am making a small book of memories from that moment of kindness towards me, so I will not forget. (You can go to my husbands blog, and read Wendi Kaiser's letter that she read at my party, and see some pictures my husband put on his blog, if you are interested, bored, or are looking for more reading material. Haha!) Jon's blog is bluechristian.com

Have a great week. God bless! Love, Carol