Thankful for Another Year of Love

Birthday Blessings:

Another of my years has come and gone. I have faced some giants and knocked a few of them down; and I have prayed a couple of mountains out of the way. I have walked through some doors and walked through some fire – I have even looked death right in the face.**

New friends have been added to enrich my life; precious old friendships have been renewed. New ideas have been formed; old ideas have been strengthened or discarded.  My body is a little older, a few more grey hairs… my soul has a few more bruises, lumps and bumps…my spirit is restored and strengthened, my faith is returning to childlike.

For another 12 months on this planet, I have listened for His voice and followed His leading (some of the time willingly, some of the time dragging my feet.)  It has been a challenging year of stepping stones, of building blocks, of preparation for something new just up ahead. I am looking forward to what comes next.

(**Regarding death, I want you to know that it is lovely on the other side…So much light, so much love there… when it is my time to go I will be glad to step over into that place. But it was not my time yet, and I am thankful to still be here; to have some time on this side left….)

I have learned a lot this year; about life, about love, about God, about me.

I have gathered some wisdom, from here and from there…. Here is just a bit of that wisdom for you to ponder….some words from others, and some from my heart:

FROM MY HEART:

·         God rewards bravery.

             Bravery opposes fear
             As fear’s enemy, bravery becomes an ally of love
             Bravery is a friend of the greatest Love that pushes out all fear

When you do come to the end, and your life passes before your eyes (and I found out recently that it does actually pass almost as a video tape before your eyes), it will not be the things you tried and failed that will bring you regret; but you will regret the things you did not try because of fear.

As you are getting ready to cross to the other side, you will begin see all things more clearly, and that clarity will allow you to see fear for what it is – the opposite of love – it is not a good thing.

Fear is an evil robber of good gifts, of gifts that belong to you; gifts that are meant to be yours, meant to be enjoyed by you while you are living on this side of the grave.

On the other side there is no fear...only love.
 

Love is all that lasts. Love is the beginning and the ending. Everything else falls away. Everything else is just noise and clatter.**

Never make decisions based on fear
Instead let love build brave into you.

(**Refer to I Cor. 13)

FROM OTHERS:

·         “Wisdom is a blessing only to those prepared to absorb it.”

~ Author Unknown

 

 

·          “If you wait for perfect conditions you will never get anything done. You will never love, you will never learn, you will never grow, you will never dance.”

~ Author Unknown

 

·         “I have found the paradox that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”  
~ Mother Teresa

 

·         “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength. Loving someone deeply gives you courage; makes you brave.”
~ Author Unknown

·         “As long as you have breath, it is never too late to love. It is never too late to laugh. It is never to late to dance.”

~ Author Unknown

 

·         “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
~ George Eliot

 

What if today you grab ahold of this truth:
                     God IS Love!...Whatever you know or think you know about God, all that He is; who He is, all that He does or has done, all that He promises… all of Him is wrapped up in this: He IS Love!

What if today you are not afraid of love?

What if today you based all of your decisions on love?

What if today you take a chance because of love?

 

 

Connie

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