Birthday wisdom…
- Be where your feet are to allow yourself to reflect on moments of your day
- Always ride a bike that has brakes on it
- Only tell people that you like something if you are wanting to receive it (a couple of times in Malaysia I have told strangers I liked their scrunchie or hairclip and they just take it off and give it to me)
- Never challenge someone to odds if you aren’t also willing to do that task too
- Write people letters. People love when you intentionally think of them
- If you are insecure about something its more than likely someone else is too or has struggled with that in the past. Open up about it! The freedom that comes with vulnerability is wonderful
- Spend quiet time alone with the Lord the way you feel the closest to Him
- Look people in the eyes when you see them on the street and genuinely acknowledge their presence
- Don’t always look to correct and laugh at others when they make a mistake
- Always tell a friend if they have something stuck in their teeth
- Ask local people for help, they want to help you. And its way more fun to go into a city without a plan, you never know who you will meet
- Find miracles in each day, big or small
- Ask deep questions in conversations; what are your dreams? Where are you going when you die?
- Be an ‘as you go’ follower of Christ. We don’t get to turn a button on and off of when we want to look like Christ
- Be willing to explore and break the rules a little bit
- No situation is as bad as you think it is. People appreciate honesty
- Don’t procrastinate, be on time even early to things to honor other people’s time
- Watch more sunrises and sunsets
- Exercise for enjoyment and because it makes you feel good, not to lose weight or because you have to
- Ask God to give you dreams and then write them down
- Look for small ways to serve others everyday
- Go without wifi for at least one day a week
- Minimize items in your possession. Its amazing to discover what you actually need to live and how freeing it is not to be tied to a bunch of stuff
Birthdays have always been hard for me. I never really got to celebrate with friends because everyone is always on vacation and I have always had to do train for swim on this day. But this year was different and I want to have all the rest of my birthdays look like this. My 23rd birthday looked like…
- Waking up to quiet, alone time with the Lord
- A warm shower
- Hot french toast with strawberries and coffee and face-timing Mom
- Swimming (for fun)
- Chatting with my girls Abby and Lauren about our dream bachelorette parties, weddings and honeymoons
- Toasted pb&j and shawarma
- Listening to John Mayer, birthday songs and country music
- Swimming for fun
- Yoga in a sauna
- Watching the sunset
- Line dancing
- 26 pushups
- Pizza and beer for dinner
- Looking at an invisible comet
- Blowing out 1/2 melted candles on a red velvet cake, then blowing out more candles cause why not
- Enjoying the ‘happy birthday song’ being sung to me by my best friends
- eating cake and opening presents
- Playing games
- Enjoying another round of the ‘happy birthday’ song being sung by my family back home and vicariously eating the cake they made me
- Discovering the name of my crazy alter ego-Janet or ‘Jan’
- Being showered with donations and warm birthday wishe
As of right now I have about $1,00 to go until I’M FULLY FUNDED!!! I’m super super thankful for everyone who partnered with me the past few days and now will continue to partner with me now on the rest of my journey! The Lord has provided SO ABUNDANTLY AND WOW I’M SO GRATEFUL!!!
