Yesterday, I turned 43 years old. Gosh, it feels like I have lived enough life to say I turned 83. It was an outstanding day! Showered with love and time with my people, blessed far far beyond what I deserve! I think I only dated things 11/10/73 a few times. HA! Am I the only one that does that? Since the first time I heard Mercy Me sing Dear Younger Me, I have wrestled with that, daily. What would I say to a younger me? It seems fitting to do so on the day of my birth, doesn't it? I would tell the younger me..... Do not despise the road you will take, it makes you exactly who you are today. As difficult as that is, all the destruction from the past, has brought you to the person you are today, being used by God in many different ways. Ways that you would not have been useful or effective in, had you not walked this exact path.
Ezekiel 36:26 - I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Do NOT live in the past - in condemnation - self hate - self loathing - in misery and bondage from past sins and mistakes. Jesus has set you free, you are free indeed! He did not die on the Old Rugged Cross for you to live in the past! He desires to use you in mighty ways, and the past is not welcome on the ride you will take. Leave the past where it belongs, in the past! Find a mentor - I can not express enough the importance of finding Godly women to keep close in your life. Woman that are Bible wise and will pour into you, lift you up, pray for you and with you and teach you from the lives they have lived. Take care of your skin! Not much needs to be said other than, you will be glad you did when you are in your 80's! :) Love your people well! Love and take care of the people God has blessed you with, your family and your friends, your tribe, your flock. Pour into them, pray for them, lift them up, guide them, listen to them and love them with all that you are! Make it a priority to start your day with your Savior. If you don't start your day in The Word and in prayer, the rest of you day will be junk. Get up an extra hour early to get yourself right with God before you start your day, where the enemy is just waiting to attack you. Keep God first and hubby second. Always, always keep God first in your life....He loves you more than you could ever imagine! He wants to do life with you, include Him in everything, the big and the small! Hubby should always be second, not the kids, not the job, not the friends, not the hobbies, not one thing should come before him! Keep him as your second focus and love him well! Remember, you married your boyfriend! Your Mom will tell you this time and again. She is right, never forget! Do not have high expectations of other people. People are selfish sinners by nature, we are born that way, including you, you can be selfish. We will fail each other time and time again. Extend grace as God has done to you! Laugh more, be serious less.....not that you are a very serious person. Don't get your drawers in a bunch about things that don't matter. Be still and think....does this really matter in the end? Then let it go and laugh! Don't get wrapped up in what other people think about you or how they act around you. Be yourself and who God has called you to be, His opinion is the only one that matters. You can't control other folks....hubby will tell you many many times "Not everyone thinks like you do Leeandra." The towels do not have to be folded just right, the cans to not need to all face the same direction, the blinds do not have to all be the same level height (yes, they really do! LOL)! Everything does not have to be perfect, let the OCD thing go and be happy! Send that card. Make the phone call. Send that text. Don't delay. Oh and keep stamps on hand, it makes it so much easier to go ahead and get that card in the mail. Don't be self-absorbed, that doesn't look good on anyone and doesn't serve any goodness. It only leads to misery and destruction. Romans 12:3 - For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. Forgive. When someone wrongs you, forgive easily, do not carry that around with you, the weight of it is far too heavy! Mark 11:25 - And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Be Kingdom minded - Focused on The Eternal - This world is NOT your home! Keep your eyes on your home in Heaven! Serve well and love well, do not get bogged down by things of this world, open your eyes and see....does this really matter in the big picture? That prolly isn't everything I would say to a younger me, but it is a good start. Really y'all, it does feel like just another day....except for all the posts on my Facebook wall, that doesn't happen everyday. HA! I think after you have kids, the focus shifts and it just becomes different. Now had my people forgotten, that would be a different story. :) As big a deal is as made of my birthday, I want the most hugest celebration EVER when I die and go home to be with Jesus! As much as I love my life and my people, I love Jesus more and can't wait to be with Him for Eternity! Just the thought of seeing Jesus face to face, brings me to tears. How I long to hear "Well done good and faithful servant." 43 years has brought me to this place and I would not trade it - EVER!
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