Sunday, January 22, 2012 was my 22nd birthday. It was even my Golden birthday. I have never been anxious about getting a year older, but this year I was a little nervous about it.
Growing up, I had always anticipated my 22nd birthday. It would be my best birthday ever. I had my whole life planned out and it revolved around this birthday. And finally here it is, come and gone and my life is nothing like I had originally planned it to be.
I had planned that I would be graduating college soon. I had planned to have a serious boyfriend/fiancée/husband. I had plans to settle down. I had plans to have a good steady job. I had plans for kids in the near future. I had all these plans, and as I look at them now, none of them are even close to coming true. Part of me can’t even imagine living my current life with these plans.
I guess it goes to show that my plans are not always God’s plans. But none-the-less it still has me on edge about turning the BIG 22. Okay, yeah if you look at it in retrospect, it is only 22, which is still young. I know. I know. I still have plenty of birthdays ahead of me. But I am the kind of person who likes to make the most of my time and that is why I wanted to start a family and be going on with my life at such a young age. That way I could make the most of that part of my life.
But it’s taken me to realize that God doesn’t have plans for that part of my life right now. He has plans for me still single. He has plans for me during a break from school. He has a plan for me without kids. He has such great plans for me that I would not be able to experience had I already been married and with kids and a steady job. I wouldn’t be here in Chamba, Mozambique on month 7 of the World Race for one. God has placed those desires in my heart for a reason, and so I know my plans (tentatively) will take place, but in His timing and not mine. So it’s just another year. I am turning 22 years old. I can always think positive and see it as just one year closer for the plans God has for me. And I can’t wait!
(Family Force 6 on my birthday! So blessed to spend the day with them!)
Here are the things that made this birthday special and different from any previous birthday:
- Slept in a tent
- had African boys sing Happy Birthday to me
- after a morning monsoon prayed for sunshine and the prayer was answered!
- had a crepe and pancake candles and cinnamon eggs for breakfast
- climbed trees in the 'jungle'
- fell off a tree in the 'jungle'
- herded goats
- grabbed a goat by the horns and battled it
- won a game of 500 (this is a special feat in itself)
- was served fish and rice for lunch (no fish for me, couldn't do it)
- was prayed and prophesied over
- got my hair braided like an African
- ate delicious pancakes with syrup for dinner
- received flowers from two guys (granted they are little kids, but it still makes me feel special)
- loved being appreciated by Family Force 6 in their own ways (hugs, time, cards, signs, food, chocolate, cards, prophecy, prayer, worship)
Today was a great day, probably one of my best birthdays ever! It was definitely a golden birthday worth remembering!
Thank you Family Force 6, Unchained Rhythm and Kedesh boys for making this a memorable day for me!
(Yes we have the boys saluting now)
