Amazing Grace...

Song lyrics: Amazing grace shall always be my song of praise; For it was grace that bought my liberty; I cannot know just how He came to love me so; He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs. I shall forever lift mine eyes to Calvary; To view the Cross where Jesus died for me; How marvelous the grace that caught my falling soul; He looked beyond my faults and saw my needs.

Now, I am sure that if I got those lyrics wrong someone will correct me! hahaha. That's ok. I can take it. Tomorrow will be the 44th anniversary of my birth - also known as a birthday. Wow. 44! I don't feel 44, and if you say I look that old, you ain't really my friend. (fake stamp of the foot on the ground.)

Birthdays always make me stop, look around and reflect...mainly on the goodness of the Lord. When you calculate it out, I have been alive for more than 16,000 days! Another WOW. It makes me think and wonder: how many of those days have I totally wasted? How many of those will be remembered forever? How many of those days were spent being mean to someone who truly needed kindness - or being kind to someone just because? Looking back, how many people did I love truly - and did I tell them somewhere along the way? How many flowers did I not stop to smell - or give - or receive graciously? I think the answers are more positive than negative. I mean, there is a reason I claim the moniker "God's Favorite Child." (smile)

Already the cards and gifts have started coming in. Shout out to my dad (and stepmother) for the beautiful musical water globe that encases a cross with the Serenity Prayer engraved on it and plays the "other version" of Amazing Grace. (Lyrics: Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound; That saved a wretch like me; I once was lost, but now I'm found; Was blind but now I see). [I know a LOT of song lyrics!] Shout out to my mom who bought me the lovely gown I was wearing in the picture posted with the last note "Transformation" - I got LOTS of compliments on it - in person and online. That was "grace" - and amazing.

But, birthdays have never been about the gifts for me. To put it bluntly, I have enough "stuff." I have enough bath stuff and candles and books and stationary and music and movies and ... well, you get the picture. Last year, I sent out the email blast to my friends saying, "don't spend your money on a gift - let's spend some time together and make a memory instead" - and that's what some of them did and what a great year I've just had as a result. That's "grace" in another form as well, and just as (if not more) appreciated than something that is used quickly and/or soon forgotten. It is always nice to be remembered on November 14th, don't get me wrong - but it's truly not about the gifts.

Grace = unmerited favor. I am so glad that God has blessed me with it for the last 16,000+ days. I am glad that He loves me...in spite of myself. And I look forward to the next 365 days He has planned for me. Full of His love, GRACE and mercy.

Amazing.
Grace.
Be blessed.