Blessed

This is a big week.  Well really, it's a big couple of weeks.  Within the next two weeks a handful of big things are happening.  Good things.  Really big and really good things.  

First, this weekend I will turn 25.  A quarter century.  Part of me doesn't think it seems that old because I am the youngest one of my friends.  But on the other hand, 25 years is a long time.  I have been incredibly blessed in my 25 years, and I look forward with excitement toward the 25 years to come.  

In 25 years, I have lived in 2 different countries, spent time in 6 or so others, lived in 5 different states, and visited a lot of others (feeling too lazy to try to count them up at the moment!).  I have finished two degrees and have flirted with the idea of getting another.  I have held three different full-time jobs and a handful of part-time ones.  

I have witnessed the marriages of many people I love.  I've snuggled with the babies of some of my closest friends.  I was the first person to hold my friend's precious daughter; she and I share a special bond, and I love watching her grow up into a sweet, creative little girl.  I have built close, meaningful friendships with so many wonderful people from all the different places I've lived.  I spend a few precious minutes on the phone with my mom each morning.  My dad and brothers are the best a girl could ask for.  I know I don't deserve the support system I have, but I am highly blessed by it.   

I've been privileged to be part of several different ministries in churches in Pennsylvania, Florida, and now Virginia.  I've gotten to work with missions organizations serving people here in the states and around the world.  

I feel like I have a lot to show for 25 years.  I also feel like I have a lot of room to improve for my next 25 years.  I want to spend more time reading things like the Bible, classic literature,  biographies, and other things to broaden my horizons.  I need to practice patience and humility and kindness a lot more.  I need to make people and relationships more important than things.  I could use a lot more discipline in a lot of areas of my life.  

25 down, who knows how many to go.  However many it is, I pray that the Lord will continue to be at work in my life and bless me with more opportunities to know and serve him more.

I will be debt-free. After getting paid for my last round of online teaching, Sallie Mae and I are breaking up.  Forever.  And I'm not going to miss her.  I am a little wary of talking about dollars and cents and financial stuff on here, but this is too exciting not to share!  I didn't have any debt other than my student loans, but getting rid of them is certainly reason to celebrate.  I can't wait to see what doors are opened as a result of being debt-free.  The opportunities are endless!  I have also been told being debt-free will increase my marketability in the dating/marriage arena, so I'm looking forward to those benefits as well.

Sunday is Resurrection Day (aka Easter).  I don't often spend as much time as I should remembering the importance of this day and the reasons we celebrate it, but this year, I am more in awe than ever of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and the victory of his resurrection.  So this weekend, Sunday is more than just another day of the week, or another get-up-and-go-to-church day.  This Sunday is a celebration of my living Savior!  This Sunday, amid the church services and meals and fun, I will sing the praises of the risen Lord and remember with humility and gratitude his ultimate sacrifice so that I might have life.

Next weekend, there's a wedding.  Two of my closest friends are tying the knot in just a few short days!  This wedding has been anxiously awaited for sometime - officially for only four months, but we've suspected this was coming for quite a long while!  The closer we get to the big day, the more I am excited to see these two begin their new life together.  It's kind of a big deal and a wonderful reason to celebrate!  

I am baffled by all the big, exciting things happening in and around me these days.  Often I have to just push pause and remind myself that this is real. This is my life; these blessings are true.  I don't deserve any of it.  So these next couple weeks, I am being reminded over and over of the good, wonderful, beautiful things in my life.  Blessed.