Today I have lived 33 years.  At times I still think I should be 18 years old, but then my children remind me otherwise.  This morning, I set up my camera so I could photograph myself just the way I looked first thing this morning.  No makeup, no hair brushing, and no prepping.  Just me.

Each birthday I am blessed to think back on the past year of my life, thanking God for his provisions and gifts. Birthdays also challenge me to wish for something new, different, better, and improved for the next year.  This year a few words come to mind:

FREEDOM

I want to experience freedom the way Christ intended for his children to experience it.  Freedom from other’s opinions and pressures.  Freedom from legalism and living so my outside appears to follow the rules of the world.  Freedom from judgement of my peers.  Freedom from my own self criticism.  Freedom from worry.  Freedom to live life more abundantly.

FRIENDS

This year I want to invest into my friendships.  I’m at a stage in life where I really, REALLY, need women to do life with…raise children with…strengthen my faith with…pray with….and laugh with.  I miss being carefree with my best friends.  I need best friends…not just friends.

FAITH

There’s always that one.  The desire to grow closer to my Lord, to know him more, to study him more, to feel his presence more.  The more I’m filled with Him the less I need to strive to be satisfied by anything else.

FUN (WITH MY HUSBAND)

We want to have more fun together!  Life can suck you into the daily grind of work, bills, schedules, bedtimes, and doing it all over again.  I want to have more date nights, day dates, get aways, and quality time with Michael that allows us to relax and enjoy being together.  Our marriage is only as strong as we exercise it!

FOLLOW

More than anything, I just want to follow HIM.  I want to be so in tune to his voice that when he speaks, I hear him.  When he says, “Go”…I follow.  When he says, “Stop”…I follow.  I don’t have a lot of plans for this year other than following his steps and making my agenda line up with his.

I can’t help but think that Jesus was this age (as theologists suggest) when he walked the road to Calvary.  Maybe this is a year of sacrifice for me, dying to self to gain Christ.  That’s my birthday wish for myself.