Happy Birthday To Me!

It's my birthday today.  I'm turning 61.  Happy Birthday to me.  I've lived a very blessed life - surrounded by some of the most wonderful people who have enriched my daily experiences.  I've been able to pursue many of my dreams in life (well, I still want to take a boat down the Amazon River someday) and I've been to some of the most remarkable places in the world - 39 countries and counting.  God has graced my life with such a wonderful family, my dad and mom, my brother Robert and my sister Carol.  I married up to one of the most beautiful woman - Denise (both inside and out) and we have had two of the most amazing daughters, Michelle and Erin.  Their husbands - Gary and Jose are a huge blessing to us along with our four grandchildren - Kyle, Caleb, Cassidy and Josiah.  Everyday they all bring such laughter and delight to our lives.  I pastored in 4 different locations (Bremerton, Washington; Costa Mesa California; Artesia, California and now currently in Hesperia, Califorinia.  I was also able to be an assistant pastor in Lynwood, California and in El Cajon, Califonia.

I've been a blessed man!!

Yes, there have been ups and many downs.  There are days that I felt like Job - “My spirit is broken; my days are extinct; the graveyard is ready for me. (‭Job‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬ ESV)

But like Job, I also discovered that no matter what we go through - we must have a strong faith in God.  We must always keep our eyes focused on Him.  

Notice what Job declares during one of the darkness seasons of his life -

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, (‭Job‬ ‭19‬:‭25-26‬ ESV)

Job also decclared:

“Behold, I go forward, but he is not there, and backward, but I do not perceive him; on the left hand when he is working, I do not behold him; he turns to the right hand, but I do not see him. But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold. My foot has held fast to his steps; I have kept his way and have not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food. (‭Job‬ ‭23‬:‭8-12‬ ESV)

Job is very raw in what he says about many things.  He just tells you how he feels and what it's like to be him.  There were times that he felt like he was doing it alone.  And yet, he then flips it around with and makes a declaration of the faithfulness of God.

He trusted in God.

"I shall come out like gold."  What an amazing statement in the promises of God.  It is a trust in the sovereignty of God  - that God is God and He knows what is best for our lives - both good and bad.

"I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food."  

Our church is in a fast right now.  We just finished the 3 day cleansing and are now on an 18 day journey with the Daniel diet.  We all recognize the need and the desire for eating food - something that's not nessarily bad for us.  But Job learned that there was something more desireable in life...He learned the valued of taking in God's Words - being a student of who God is and a student of His Words. He "treasured the words of his mouth."  This was more important than even that of eating food.

I don't know what is in front of me or how many years I have on this earth.  However, I do know if the faithfulness of God in my past is any indicator of what is to come - I'm in good hands.

Again, Happy Birthday to me!