Birthday Reflections

(I started writing this post on my birthday last week.)


This morning I was reading and pondering in my hammock...

I was reflecting over my 20th year of life that has now passed... It was a beautiful year filled with many blessings and abundant opportunities for growth.

I look back with happiness to the victories I've had. I also think back to the moments I've wasted. Oh that I could go back and re-live those moments. Such as the times when social media or other distractions replaced the time I could have spent in memorizing the Bible, whole-hearted service, or communion with my Savior. 

I have been struck with the thought that I must redeem the time now. We never know if we will have tomorrow. 

I read these inspiring words from the pen of Ellen White:

The new year has commenced, and with the commencement of this new year, you should dedicate yourselves to God. Now give yourself to him, soul, body, and spirit, to do his will. Let all selfishness...., all your faults, and besetting sins die with the old year. Begin this new year to the glory of God. Pray to him, morning, noon, and night, to give you a meek and humble spirit, a mild temper, an affectionate disposition. Live as you never lived before. Begin this new year with new feelings, fresh desires, and a strong determination to glorify God.  {YI, January 1, 1856 par. 2} 

This is my prayer--to live as never before. I pray that in this new year I will fully surrender my heart anew to my Savior - each and every moment of the day.

I want to live a life with no regrets...

 

 ~      ~      ~    

Here are a few of the highlights from my birthday:

• A few my students started to sing snippets of "Happy Birthday" during class
• Getting to talk with my dear family back in America between two of my classes
• Handing out many different flavors of small ice cream popsicles to the eager 300+ students at lunch time. (Sometimes the teachers here buy or make something special for all the other staff and students on their birthday. I liked that idea and decided to buy the ice cream popsicles for them.)
• Being surprised by fellow missionaries who sang to me and presented me with a cake covered with peanut butter frosting (You have to be pretty creative here in the mission field. We've come up with some pretty interesting and delicious concoctions.) 
• Receiving many birthday messages from dear friends like you
• And to top it all off - seeing the eclipse of the moon after evening worship

I have so much to be thankful for.