Birthday Musings

I turned 34 yesterday. I had a really good birthday. It was sweet of God to have it fall on a Sunday this year. I got up early Sunday morning and thanked him for that gift and then went on to teach on the atonement in our church's Foundations class, then preach a message on the 5 Sola's.

After the service, our church had a little birthday bash for me with the best chocolate cake I've had in years. I haven't had a birthday party in years either, so just when I thought I was too old for that stuff, it was cool to realize I wasn't. :-)

We went to the home of some very good friends for lunch and NFL watching. I didn't get to see the Titans game, but I consider their first win of the season just one more birthday present.

An even better birthday present was hearing from some relatively new Christians that they're about to take a major leap of faith in their lives that can only be explained by the transforming power of the gospel. Their news made my day.

I'm an introvert by nature, so socializing takes energy out of me, especially on Sundays after preaching, which makes me generally useless every Sunday afternoon. But I was thankful for the ability to enjoy fellowship most of Sunday, and it's especially a blessing to have friends with whom you can just be yourself. Late afternoon I went home and wrote for five hours, because my next book (Abide, coming from Threads Media in the Spring) was due yesterday. :-)

This is how I know I'm old: I put half of the birthday money I got from friends and family in savings and spent the other half on gloves, a sweater, and slippers. Next year I s'pose I'll spend it all on socks.

I am deeply satisfied with God right now. This despite some major "missing parts" in my life. (Those who know me know what these parts are.) God has been so good to Becky and me, and I am still on a high from the gospel awakening he worked in my life 3 years or so ago. I honestly have not been able to go very long each day without pondering the supremacy of Christ and the glorious riches of his grace, not in an intellectual way, although there's that too, but in a way that still stirs my heart. I really pray God never lets that stirring subside.

The only personally ambitious thing I wanted for my "career" was to have a book published by the time I was 33. I have wanted to be an author since I was 6 years old. I signed a contract for my first book last year at this time, mere weeks after my 33rd birthday. So I'm all set. The rest is gravy.

I try to think, speak, and write about the good news of Christ's finished work so often that if God should take me in a car wreck, a carjacking, or a cardiac arrest, the odds are good my parting thought should be the sweet mercy of Jesus.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go outside and smoke a cigar, which is something I wanted to do on my birthday but didn't have time for.
Blessings, blogosphere.

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