Birthday

Fun fact: Today is my birthday!

I have this thing I’ve been doing for the past couple years on the Facebook where I share x number of things I learned that x^th year of my life. So, in the spirit of being a legitimate bloggity blogger I have taken these thoughts here!

But first, a few things about my 25^th year.

Being a January baby affords me the luxury of having the new year feel EXTRA new because I’ll be entering a new year of life. You know the new year feelings. Those of hope, of resolve, of uncertainty, of determination. I had all those things going into 2017. Not a fan of #NewYearNewMe but more of a #NewYearSameMeWithAdjustmentsAlongTheWay, because I keeps it real. But yes, 2017 started in harmony. Then, everything changed when the fire nation attacked!

Shoutout to anyone who loved Avatar: The Last Airbender. The show. NOT the movie.

 

I incurred a seriously debilitating injury just days before my 25^th birthday which knocked me down physically. I had some setbacks career-wise which knocked me down financially. And I had a few interpersonal conflicts which knocked me down emotionally. It was a mess y’all. But I made it through. By the grace-filled hand of God. Now I know some of y’all have rolled your eyes at that but there’s really no other way to explain how I was able to move forward when I kept being knocked down. God was literally dragging my unwilling body til the very end. I am thankful. Throughout the valley of shadows that was this past year I still learned some things. So here they are:

 

1. “Let no man despise thy youth, but be thou an example of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” – 1 Timothy 2 v 15. If you read my first post, this was quoted at the end because it has been that impactful in my life this year. TBH I only read it for the first time towards the second half of this year but it stuck. Don’t let your age be a limitation of what you can do. And don’t let older folk convince you that you don’t have value, or sense, or purpose. YOU CAN DWEET! And do it (whatever it may be) so well that it is an example to others. Paul’s encouragement to Timothy can be one for us too.
2. The food processor always comes through in clutch situations. Hummus, dips, seasonings, spreads. Alluvit.
3. Take your time. Let that person tell you that thing in their own time. Let the butter and the eggs come to room temperature. Let the conditioner sit on your hair for the recommended time (lol jk don’t follow the label instructions. Throw a shower cap on for 45 mins to an hour)
4. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” Another gem from Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2 v 15. BE A STUDENT OF THE WORD!
5. Colouring isn’t just for kids. It’s actually quite therapeutic and there’s books and magazines and even apps for adults.
6. It’s important to not keep people in your life based solely on nostalgia. Go ahead and grow sis. Pruning and weeding as you go.
7. Don’t EVER in your life put God in a box based on YOUR experiences and YOUR limited understanding.
8. God truly doesn’t owe me anything. No. Thing. Not one explanation. Nothing.
9. “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” – 1Corinthians 1v25. AMAZING!
10. Men are strange creatures. Foreign things. I marvel at their feats of blockheadedness constantly. They aren’t always blockheads though. But even the ok ones can be.
11. Many people will love the IDEA of you more than the REALITY of you.
12. The baking temperatures they give in recipes aren’t just suggestions for the sake of it. Follow the temp and cooking times girl and stop winging it!
13. Sometimes it’s ok to have doubts. Doubting means you’re actively thinking about things and not just going along with them because someone else said you should. Just make sure you don’t stop at doubting and continue on to pursue the truth. Always.
14. Telling the truth in love. Important.
15. God knows EVERY LITTLE SECRET THING about me and He STILL loves me. I shed tears when I first heard this in a sermon. Not like rolling down my face tears but my eyes watered. Real G’s cry in silence like lasagna.
16. I spend too much time giving advice to others that I should be taking myself.
17. Be your own hype-woman. NICE GIRL LIKE YOU!? HOW YOUR SKIN CLEAR SO? AA!
18. Making grown up adult phone calls is THEE worst.
19. Most times the free gift and free shipping are not worth the extra things you had to put in your cart. You didn’t SAVE $25 babygirl you SPENT $75.
20. “Taking steps is easy, standing still is hard”. This year has been a standstill of sorts for me, that’s probably why it has been one of the most challenging.
21. Those things you thought were secret powers when you were younger are actually God given talents. Hone them. Double them. ANNNNNND LABOUR TIL THE MASSSSTERRRRR COMMMMMMMMESSSS
22. “My body is a gift, for which I am thankful” I’ve struggled with body image issues since the dawn of time and so this affirmation is one which I plan on repeating every time someone makes an out of pocket comment about my weight.
23. Hannah, Samuel’s mom, had 5 OTHER children AFTER Samuel! My whole life I’ve been hearing that story and it was only this year I learned about these other kids. This whole time I thought Hannah gave up her one and only son whom she prayed for and struggled to conceive. AA. Not that she is any less inspirational. But God really did that for Hannah. From nothing to alllll the kids. Wow. My countenance wast shooketh.
24. Time is a funny thing. It runs, it crawls, it jumps, it stands still, it heals, it weakens, it changes, it stays the same, it can be so cruel yet still so forgiving. What is time?
25. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakeness, or peril or sword?… For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8 v 35, 38 and 39. This is so powerful. I can’t even. WOOOOSAH

I pray I keep learning and growing in my 26^th year. Happy Birthday to me.