365 People

Recently I celebrated 50 amazing years here on Earth. Well before the day, I told Bethany (dd) and Alan (dh) not to plan a usual Happy 50th Bash. Over the years I have written dozens of “What you’ve meant to me” letters as spouses or children collected mementos to give to the mid-century “birthdayee.” I have had friends whose husband flew in friends from all over the country to party when his wife turned 50. I have known wife’s who rented halls and had grand parties for the big event. Before my loved ones could even contemplate such a “This is Your Life” extravaganza, I asked them not to. I had a different idea of how I wanted to celebrate the Lord allowing me to live this long (and as many close calls as I’ve had, it is definitely an act of His Will).

You see, instead of learning how much I had blessed others (with their congratulatory notes, letters, emails, etc.) I realize that I am the one who has been blessed. So, I’m writing the letters to people who have impacted my life and blessed me. I’m averaging 30 a month for this year.

It has been wonderful as I remember the impact that others have had. Their love, care, and prompting have enriched my life.

Yes, many of those in my life, like Sunday school teachers, pastors, friends of my family, and mentors have died and I cannot write them, but when available, I’m letting their children know.

I, in no way, think those who do the “This is Your Life” bit for their family are wrong. What they do is wonderful and I know each time I’ve been able to participate that person well deserved the accolades.

It’s just that my life has been more blessed by others, than the other way around. Guilty as charged. I’m a receiver of thousands of prayers, goodwill, and acts of kindness. The balance definitely tips in favor of others, while my deeds are a thin stack compared.

So, I’m on a mission to track down people, some I haven’t seen for forty years or more and some I just lost touch with. But the memories are grand and heart-warming and feel like God is blessing me all over again.

I mention it hear, because I’ve found that this attitude of gratitude affects every aspect of my day. My thoughts are filled with mental thank you notes, which I transpose into prayers. Instead of writing the “obituary” note to someone when their loved one dies, I’m trying to write them now. It has had a marvelous impact as to positive thoughts and upping my outlook.

I know the news is dreadful and filled with precursors of a soon-coming apocalypse (be it via over-taxation, globalism, lose of privacy, anti-nationalism, persecution, intrusion, monetary collapse, and spiritual decline) and it is too easy to get discouraged.

There was a time, one TV in the house was tuned to Fox News all day. As I would work around the house, I could walk by and catch any news or TiVo back to anything I might have missed. But lately, and no reflection on Fox, but I find the news so discouraging that I turned the TV off. And turned the music up, the scripture reading louder, or even muted everything so I could instead dwell on what is right about God’s plan with what is going on in the world today. Because as much as it appears to be spinning out of control and so many people have gone crazy and lost their moral foothold – There’s a deeper magic still – God is handling it all and steering it towards His plot line, not our’s, not satan’s, but His.

Rejoice! Be Thankful! And write a thank you note today to someone who has blessed you – even if it only mental and is cc’d as a prayer.