Deuteronomy 2:7 (NIV)

The Lord your God has blessed you in all the work of your hands. He has watched over your journey through this vast wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you, and you have not lacked anything.

This week I turn 40, and I must say that I’m quite excited!  This is a milestone!  God has so richly blessed my life; sometimes I can’t quite believe that my life is my own.  I’m so very grateful for the people in my life: my loving husband, two amazing children, and wonderful family and friends.  They are all to be treasured.

Of course, life isn’t always roses, but if I step back to take a look, there is only lists upon lists to be thankful for.  There was a time years ago when I wondered if I’d be able to physically handle having children and raising them through the early years.  I made it!  The kids are still young, but I made it through the diapers, the nursing, the sleepless nights, the potty-training, and the tantrums!  Sure, we still have the middle-school and teenage years, but one step at a time.  Gotta celebrate each victory.

Last year a friend of mine turned 40 and she wrote a 40 Day Truth Telling series on her blog.  For 40 days leading up to her birthday, she wrote about a truth of God.  I’m actually still working through the series; I started when she first posted it, but have only sat down to enjoy another day of it when I could soak in the truth and really study it.  I’m about half-way through and plan to finish.  It is so good.

To celebrate we took James and Anna to our favorite restaurant, the Mona Lisa.  It’s a quaint fondue restaurant that Kenny and I have a long history with.  About 16 years ago Kenny took me there when we were “just friends” and we’ve been going back now and again to celebrate anniversaries and other special events.  The kids LOVE fondue – we typically make it at home with them – so this was a special treat for them too.  A fancy, dress-up kind of meal to celebrate the big 4-0.  Anna loved every minute of this experience and thanked me several times for taking her.  While James enjoyed the food too, he did confess to Kenny while Anna and myself were in the restroom, that he was more “rock-and-roll” than this kind of restaurant.  So cute.

Thank you, Father, for forty years of unbelievable blessings.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!  Amen.