Almost birthday

While I was eating lunch with these adorable people today, I was thinking about my birthdays. Like the one 10 years ago when I received a ring, a promise and a commitment from my dear J. That sure was a good one. And the one in Texas when I got a card from my mother in law that said they sure wished they could be there with us and I knew in my heart that was so true, I cried to think how thankful I am for them and have never quite been the same. And another Texas birthday after I had Ek and I missed my mom and dad so much that I could hardly breathe because to celebrate without the ones who gave me my birthday just didn't seem anywhere close to right. And the one when I got a ring from my brother that I still wear everyday when we sat and ate in Columbia together and I just couldn't believe how blessed I was to have such an amazing friend as my brother. And this year I have just loved how much my kids are excited over my birthday and I am just letting them because I know how much I love to celebrate theirs. And I am so blessed to have such amazing friends who are so kind to make me lunch like last year while the kids destroyed the rest of the house and take me out to lunch this year without any kids. And I'm just so grateful that God keeps on with me. Even today at Bible study, he just showed me again-- keep on, I've got plans, I've got you. And I was even thinking about my name, my first gift from my parents that means, 'pure' and my given last name that means, 'God is my Judge.' And I'm grateful to know that God has made me pure through the shed blood from my Saviour, and that I stand forgiven before God my Judge. If I fell asleep tonight and slept through my birthday tomorrow, I would still be overwhelmed by His love in my life. I do feel, as Paul said in Ephesians, rooted and established in God's love. Hallelujah!