Birthday Reflections

As I celebrate my 33rd birthday today, I find myself looking back in awe of all of the opportunities and experiences God has given to me.  I am amazed that this little kid from Pennsboro, WV would get to see and do so much! 

I have now lived in 5 different states and travelled to many more.  I have seen the great cities of New York and London, and the natural wonders of the Grand Canyon and the arches and deserts of Utah. I have seen the monuments of Washington, D.C. and the battlefields of Gettysburg and Antietam.  I have jumped out of an airplane and snorkeled in the ocean.  I have swam with dolphins and  ridden on a camel.  I have hiked in  both the Rocky and Appalachain Mountains and walked on the beaches of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  I have seen the last standing Wonder of the World, the Great Pyramids of Egypt and sailed down the Nile River.  I have had opportunities to serve halfway around the world in Indonesia with ESL and five minutes from my front door with Habitat for Humanity.

I have experienced the deepest heartaches and the most exhilerating joys.  I have gone on a 7 day silent retreat and a 40 day fast, and celebrated with throngs in a stadium and feasted on the finest steak dinners.  I have mourned the loss of all four of my grandparents and an uncle, and celebrated the birth of two nephews and a niece.  I have lied awake in the longest lonely hours of the night, and watched my beautiful bride walk down the aisle to me. I now get to spend the rest of my life with the most beautiful, amazing woman in the world who is my very best friend.  Many great friends have passed through my life and thankfully some remain and will always share this journey with me. 

I have tried and failed at both surfing and dancing.  I have gone to school for financial planning and massage therapy but am not currently practicing either.  I have seen Lifehouse in concert 5 times.  I still have my Saturn.  I have been able to make a lot of people laugh, and hopefully made very few cry.  My family has always been there for me, and I love them very much.  I also love my new in-laws and look forward to getting to know them more.  My life is ridiculously blessed. I hope I have been able to share that blessing with others.

I will close with words oddly coming from Billy Corgan of the Smashing Pumpkins.  "All credit belongs to God, who thought this whole thing up."