(Cover photo taken by my sister, Melissa, on a coffee/tea date to the Esselon Cafe here in MA!)

You know life is good and you are loved when you are still celebrating your 40th birthday five months after the actual date! And to think…I thought it was all over after the amazing trip to NYC and the surprise gathering of friends and family in Texas.
Boy, was I wrong.

Our dear and long time friend and fellow ministry partner, Lois invited me and a handful of other ladies over to her house on Tuesday evening for a gluten free meal, chocolate dipped fruit, and pedicures. I simply thought she wanted to get a few of us together before she leaves for a majority of the summer for various mission trips. Plus, this little group of ladies hadn’t all been together for this type of thing in over a year.

I was completely shocked when she brought out a gift for me and pulled a lit candle toward me to blow out after they sang “Happy Birthday.” I had to ask the other ladies if they knew this was happening, because I felt like this little spontaneous party was taking away from our real purpose – eating, catching up on each others lives, and toes! But, of course, they all knew what was coming.

And by now you’ve certainly figured out what that gift was. A big, beautiful, heavy coffee-table-type book whose pages are filled with photos and letters from so many people who have been so dear to me over the last 40 years. Complete shock kept the tears from streaming immediately, but it didn’t take long. I think it was my kids’ letters that really got me, but it was also one from my dad, and the ones from young women I’ve had the privilege to develop friendships with through the church through the years – girls I met when they were 18 or 20, who are now in their 30’s in full swing careers or having 2nd and 3rd babies. And the letters from my sisters and my brother….and….

(That is Kayla and me in Maine, sporting our matching french braids before a trip to the beach!)

I am simply overwhelmed by this gift. If you are reading and you were a part of contributing to it – thank you. You will never know just how meaningful this is to me. And thank you to Lois, who planned, tracked down friends and family to request letters, stalked me, my blog, Facebook, and Flickr account for photos to cover every aspect of my life in the last 11+ years! Thank you for adding your own photos and your beautiful touch to make it so special. I know how much work it was, and I know it was out of love and a desire to encourage.

It really is so much more than a gift. It is a treasure. A thing that I will cherish as love and affirmation from the Lord in what feels like “round two” of life. Already this treasure has given me strength and motivation to continue on in the calling He has on my life – to treasure my family, other people, my church, and above all – Him.

…that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is,
Christ Himself,