It is not unique, I suppose, to reflect upon things after one’s birthday. As I sit and write tonight, the thunderstorms have recently moved through my area. I can smell the grass that was mown earlier today. And I can see a couple of wooly clouds hovering between the moon and me, moving very slowly. A few stars are becoming visible. It is balmy and still very humid. I have had a good supper, talked with several friends, and am now reading and writing until I fall asleep. And tomorrow I get to play golf with my loved ones and create more good memories. But for what it is worth, here are a few reflections:

1. I recognize and appreciate God’s providence more and more the older I grow. What do I mean? The older I get, the more I understand that I control very little of my life. I make plans, sure. I go to work on time. I have my ambitions, etc. But I have learned that God is big and I am small.
2. I have learned that it is a blessing to do what you love. I am in Christian ministry. I love it. And I am a soldier, and I love that, too. The fact that I can serve the Lord via serving soldiers and families is one of my great joys.
3. I have learned what God meant when he wrote through Solomon, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22, ESV). I would not want to think of how I would have ended up were it not for my Carrie Jane. She, due to godly parents and the grace of God towards her, has shaped me for the better in ways I cannot adequately articulate.
4. It goes quickly. Sure, like everybody else, I have some long days. Heck, some long years. But overall, life goes quickly. I think it’s one of the reasons I love literature so much. The best of it captures the human spirit, the human soul, that which endures. Life is made of moments, and if we don’t appreciate them appropriately, we tend to forget the blessing that our time is, and how much grace we have been granted.
5. There’s more to do. I still have a lot on my bucket list. I have some goals that I long to accomplish. And, to repeat, # 4 above, time goes quickly.

So I know there’s nothing profound here. But I was feeling reflective and grateful and aware, once again, of the ticking of the clock, and of the call to be faithful while we can.